


Love You Endlessly

by EpicLilKitty



Series: LYE [1]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - No Kwamis, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Angst, Bad Decisions, Chlodrien, Dadrien, Drama, Evil Gabriel, Excessive Cliffhangers, F/F, F/M, Kinda Dark, Married DJWifi, Minor Molestation, Minor Violence, Mominette, One Night Stands, Original Character(s), Overprotective Gabriel, Some Fluff, adrienette - Freeform, clueless adrien, controlling Gabriel, evil chloe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-01
Updated: 2019-02-06
Packaged: 2019-03-12 07:22:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 24
Words: 120,792
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13542513
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EpicLilKitty/pseuds/EpicLilKitty
Summary: Please note in this AU, there are no superheroes. Adrien Agreste was permitted to attend PRIVATE School, and therefore never met Marinette. He later met Nino Lahiffe and befriended him at an arcade.Marinette Dupain-Cheng's life was perfectly on track. She graduated high school with honors, she was at the University of her dreams, and she had a promising future ahead of her in the world of fashion. A one night stand with a handsome model changed all that, however. Marinette accepted the life of single motherhood, dropping out of school to work full time at her parents' Bakery in order to provide for her unborn child. Now, six years later, Marinette is finally getting her life back on track. She's getting her own apartment, she's returned to University and had begun interning with Tara Lacrosse, an American Designer currently working out of Paris. She never expected to run into the father of her children ever again. But another chance meeting could turn her life upside down.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Guys, I'll be honest. This story idea popped into my head at five in the morning after working a ten-hour shift yesterday on absolutely no sleep. It's taken me the past 2 or 3 hours to write this. I have no idea where it's going to go but your continued support is much appreciated and with hopes this story could turn into something amazing.

**Six Years Ago**

 

Marinette Dupain-Cheng released a breathy sigh, swirling the last Vestiges of her drink as she scanned the crowded club. Music blared from the speakers and a crush of bodies gyrated on the dance floor. It had been no less than two hours since she had last seen her friend, Alya Cesaire, and her friend’s boyfriend Nino. If Alya and Nino had ditched again she would _scream_. Normally, the bar scene wasn’t really Marinette’s thing. She was a bit of a homebody. The twenty-one year old rarely left her home except for school and work these days. When she did leave for another reason, it was usually to buy new fabrics or meet her best friend at their favorite cafe to catch up on the latest gossip about their graduating class. She most certainly didn’t frequent clubs and had only agreed to go because Nino was DJing the first set and she had wanted to support her friend. His set had ended hours ago and somehow, she had found herself roped into staying just ‘a little bit longer’ while Nino and Alya danced. ‘A little bit longer’ had turned into an hour, however, and then two hours, and now four hours later and her friends had disappeared. She was going to murder Alya.

Turning, the dark-haired girl lifted a hand to flag down the Bartender. Marinette wasn’t a heavy drinker and normally cut herself off after one drink. She had already nursed two Gin and Tonics and knew she ought to cut herself off… but she was annoyed and figured another drink might help her unwind. The new drink was placed in front of her and the old one was removed. Turning away from the crowded dance floor, Marinette focused on swirling her straw around in the drink before her. She figured she could nurse the drink for the next hour or so and if neither of her friends showed up, she could hail a cab and go home. Fate seemed to have other plans, however, as before she could take a sip of the drink a voice pulled her from her thoughts. “Hello, lil Lady.”

Marinette lifted her head, startled, to find a pair of teal eyes boring into hers. The owner of the eyes was a tall, handsome man, probably only a few years older than she was. He had a thick mop of dark, curly hair atop his head and light stubble graced his chin and cheeks. He was well-built, but not overly muscular. The words ‘roguishly handsome’ came to mind. He flashed a dimpled smile; the smile made him look like a mischievous boy who had been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. From his accent, Marinette guessed that he was Italian. “I’m Andre, and this is my friend Lucas,” he introduced, gesturing to her other side. Marinette turned to find another man on her other side. He was shorter and scrawnier than Andre, with thin brown hair that reached the collar of his shirt and brown eyes hidden behind a pair of wire-framed glasses.

“Oh, um… it’s nice to meet you. I’m Marinette,” She greeted with a small smile, reaching out to shake first Andre’s hand, and then Lucas’.

“The pleasure is all mine, Marinette,” Andre responded, smoothly drawing her attention back to him. He nodded in the direction of her drink. “What are you drinking? Perhaps I could buy you another?”

“Oh, thank you, but I’m actually heading home when I finish this one,” she explained with a shrug. A flash of something Marinette couldn’t quite decipher flashed across the man’s face.

“Oh, well that’s a shame. Say, pretty girl like you certainly didn’t come here alone. Where’s your boyfriend?” Andre suddenly asked. Marinette paused. The question seemed so off and out of the blue but she found herself answering nonetheless.

“I don’t have a boyfriend… I came here with my friend and her boyfriend but I’m fairly certain that they ditched me,” she said honestly, a grimace forming on her lips.

“Oh, that’s a shame. Well, what do you say Luke and I keep you company for the time being?” Andre suggested politely. Marinette glanced behind her, having almost forgotten that the other man was there. He was so quiet this whole time. She returned her bluebell eyes to Andre’s teal ones and found herself nodding, a smile curving her lips.

“That would be great, thank you,” she said, a soft blush burning across her cheeks. Andre was cute and well-spoken and it had been a while since the young woman had dated anyway. Perhaps tonight, that could change.

 

Adrien Agreste grimaced, watching the young woman from across the club. He was leaning up against the wall across from the bar, determinedly avoiding the crush of bodies on the dance floor. He had spotted the raven-haired beauty an hour ago while scanning the club for his friend. His childhood friend, Chloe, had all but dragged him to the club before almost immediately ditching him for another guy. They weren’t dating, so he hadn’t minded aside from the fact that now he was in a club all alone with nobody to talk to. The girl had seemed to be looking for someone as well when he first spotted her. Even across the club, he could tell her eyes were a startling shade of blue, her long black hair piled atop her head in a single, messy bun with little wispy curls framing her heart-shaped face. She was breathtaking and he had spent the past hour working up the nerve to approach her, but it would appear as if he was too late.

The blonde boy watched with barely contained jealousy as he watched two men sidle up beside her, the one on the left taking the initiative to engage the raven-haired beauty in conversation while the one of the right seemed content to listen. The boy sighed, resigned to his defeat as he watched the trio. He wasn’t certain what had prevented him from crossing the dance floor earlier; he was a famous model and normally had no issue conversing with pretty girls. After all, he spent most of his time surrounded by some of the most beautiful faces in all of Europe. There was something about _this_ girl, however, that caused him to freeze up. She was captivating, and he watched in despair as she threw her head back and laughed at whatever the guy on her left had said. Adrien glanced around, scanning the club once more for Chloe, but the blonde was nowhere to be found. Adrien didn’t feel right just ditching her, but he also had no desire to stand around in a club alone like a weirdo.

Shrugging off the wall, Adrien skirted the crowd while keeping his eyes peeled for the familiar blonde ponytail or painfully bright yellow dress his friend had worn to the club. Neither jumped out at him and he was beginning to think she had gone home with the guy she had met up with. Great, just great. Glancing across the club, he found himself wondering if the ravenette was the type to go home with random guys from clubs. Would she be taking one of her two suitors home tonight? Hell, was she the kind of girl who had no qualms taking _two_ guys home? Glancing back towards her, he somehow doubted it. That was the type of thing Chloe would do and although he had never met her and knew nothing about her, instinct told him this girl and his childhood friend were as different as night and day. Chloe was the night; seductive, confident, and daring. This girl-how he desperately wanted to know her name-was the day; bright, warm, captivating… and completely irresistible. His eyes shifted to her outfit. She wore a knee-length dress that darkened from Midnight Blue to Jet Black, starting at the top left and working its way down to the bottom right of her dress. In the club’s flashing flights, he swore the dress glittered like a night sky. It was strapless, her arms and shoulders bare, her long legs crossed and showing off calf-high strappy black stilettos.

He couldn’t place the designer of the dress, which was weird. He was a model and although he wasn’t as familiar with dresses and other feminine clothing, he could usually pinpoint a designer just by looking at an article of clothing. If he had to guess, he would say her dress was an original. Was she an aspiring fashion designer? He had certainly never met her before but if she was studying fashion in school, that wasn’t exactly surprising. His father rarely allowed him to work with amateurs unless their work really impressed him… and to be honest, few things ever impressed his father. This girl, however, with her obvious eye for design, might be able to pull it off, however. Assuming the dress was her own original design. He supposed he really shouldn’t assume when he had never even met the girl before.

Adrien was about to turn away once more, intending on leaving the club and forgetting about the captivating girl who was clearly taken by her new companion, when movement on her right caught his attention. He had almost forgotten that there were two men with her. He was fairly certain that while he had watched them, the man on her right hadn’t spoken a single word. He seemed almost like a third wheel, dragged along so that his friend could flirt with the pretty girl. Now, however, the second man was watching the duo intently. He almost seemed to be… waiting for something. The girl paid him no mind; she was totally focused on the man on her left, giggling adorably at something he had said. Adrien found himself getting sidetracked, wondering what her laugh sounded like, wondered if she wrinkled her nose adorably when she laughed the way some women did, like a bunny rabbit. The man on her left flicked his gaze upwards, meeting the gaze of the man on the right, and immediately alarm bells went off in Adrien’s mind. The way they were looking at each other sent a chill down his spine. Something wasn’t right.

The man on the left turned back to continue engaging the ravenette in conversation, but for the time being Adrien ignored the duo, instead choosing to focus on the other man. He watched the duo for another moment, ensuring the girl was fully distracted, before carefully maneuvering the drink at her elbow closer to himself. Adrien straightened abruptly. The alarm bells in his head had turned into a full-blown siren. The man glanced at the pair, making sure the girl hadn’t noticed him moving her drink. His hand dipped into his pocket and pulled something out of it. A vial of sorts. Adrien narrowed his eyes anger, and fear sliding down his spine. He didn’t want to believe it; who could ever imagine hurting an angel such as she. However, it was hard to combat the facts when he was watching the man dump a powdery substance into the drink before using the straw to mix it up. Skirting the crowd, Adrien made a beeline for the trip as a surprisingly powerful rage curled through him. Somebody was going to die tonight…

 

Marinette giggled, shaking her head in amusement at Andre’s antics. The man wasn’t only charming and well-spoken; he was also extremely funny and the dark-haired girl found herself wondering if she would be getting a phone number out of this. If she did, perhaps this whole wretched night would be worth it. She might just have to thank Alya and Nino for ditching her. Sitting up in her seat, the girl tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. With the number of people currently in the room, it was getting increasingly hot. Andre nodded towards the drink she had all but forgotten about.

“You look thirsty. Your drink is kind of old. Shall I buy you another?” He asked sweetly, smiling at her. Marinette shook her head and picked up the drink, lifting it towards her mouth with a faint smile.

“Oh, no thank you. This one is totally fi-” She broke off as a hand reached past her and encircled her wrist, stopping her arm’s ascent. Startled, Marinette lifted her gaze to a pair of shockingly green ones, set in a chiseled face darkened by unbridled rage. Her breath caught, although she wasn’t certain if it was because of the man’s obvious anger or the fact that he was one of the most handsome men she had ever met. Maybe a little bit of both. She opened her mouth to say something, but only managed a soft squeak of nervousness. The man’s eyes seemed to drill into her as he removed the glass from her fingers, lifted it, and upended it… over Andre’s head. The spell that had overtaken her snapped at Andre’s enraged sputtering.

“What the _hell_ , man!” Andre snarled, leaping to his feet and inspecting his top in annoyance before glaring daggers at the newcomer. Marinette rose immediately, concern etched on her features, but the hand on her wrist prevented her from assisting Andre.

“Are you _insane_!? Why would you _do_ that?” She snapped, attempting to yank out of his grip to no avail. Although his grip was gentle, his hold was unwavering as he glared at the darker haired man.

“Why don’t you ask your friends here what they put in your drink?” His voice was deceptively quiet as he flicked his green eyes in her direction and Marinette’s brow furrowed in confusion.

“W-what?” She asked, voice jumping up an octave. The man’s gaze softened briefly before hardening again.

“I _said_ ask these idiots what they put in your drink, Princess, he growled, making ‘princess’ sound more like a taunt than a term of endearment. Marinette swallowed hard and shifted her gaze towards Andre.

“A-Andre? W-what is he talking about?” She whispered, desperately hoping he would deny everything. Instead, he froze, face paling as he looked between her and her apparent savior. The blonde snorted in disgust and released her then. In retrospect, she really should have seen it coming. The obvious anger in his eyes, the stiff demeanor as if he were struggling to hold himself back, the flash of some unidentifiable emotion when her would-be attacker failed to deny anything. The blonde stepped forward almost calmly. His left hand curled into Andre’s shirt front, his right hand curling into a first. Marinette couldn’t help it. She screamed when the blonde punched Andre, knocking him to the ground. She backed away, a wave of nausea unfurling in the pit of her stomach. She had never done well with violence or… blood. She stared blankly at the blood pouring from Andre’s most-likely broken nose. Her face paled, her stomach lurched dangerously. A pair of green eyes suddenly filled her vision, concern filling them as a pair of warm hands framed her face.

“You okay, Princess? You aren’t looking so good,” he said, eyes searching hers.

“I think I’m going to faint,” Marinette dimly heard herself say over the dull ringing in her ears. Surprise flashed in the green eyes.

“ _Now_!?” The man asked, disbelief and worry and perhaps just a little bit of annoyance coloring his tone. The girl nodded dimly, as darkness began to encroach on her vision and she swayed unsteadily. The last thing she could recall was a pair of strong arms catching her, just before everything went black.

Marinette awoke with a start. She sat bolt up in bed, heart pounding. At first, she thought she was back in her bedroom in the bakery. She recalled the events of the night before and frowned. Had it all been a dream? A very, very bad dream. Her mind shifted to the green-eyed man in her dreams. He looked familiar but she couldn’t place his face. She didn’t think she had ever met him before; something told her she would never be able to forget those startling green eyes of his. Reaching up, she found that her hair was no longer tied atop her head in a bun. Instead, her hair framed her face and shoulders in gentle waves. It shouldn’t have come as a surprise; she never wore her hair up when going to bed. And yet, there was a nagging feeling in the back of her mind that she hadn’t been dreaming. She blinked, trying to adjust to the blackness of the room around her. She knew she wasn’t in her bedroom. The familiar skylight above her bed was missing, judging from the lack of moonlight. So where was she?

The soft rustle of fabric alerted her to the fact that she wasn’t alone a moment before a hand clamped down on her mouth and a pair of green eyes appeared in her limited field of vision. The eyes were dark and angry, and yet they were also oddly gentle. It was a weird contradiction but looking into his eyes, Marinette couldn’t bring herself to feel afraid, despite the fact that she was in some unknown bed who knows where with a guy she didn’t know.

“Don’t scream,” the man said softly. Marinette nodded slowly. The man hesitated, perhaps trying to judge if she was actually going to cooperate, before finally retracting his hand. The bed dipped as he presumably sat down on its edge and a lamp flicked on. Marinette immediately shut her eyes against the harsh glow of the light, lifting a hand to shield her face. The man chuckled, the sound rich and warm in her ears. Slowly, she opened her eyes to look at the face of her savior. Again, she was hit with a sense of familiarity. She knew she had seen the man somewhere before but _where_? “Are you okay? I’ve never seen someone faint over so little blood before. It was almost comical,” he said, a cheeky grin curving his lips. Despite the oddity of the situation she had found herself in, Marinette let out a short bark of laughter.

“I’ve never been able to handle blood,” she admitted, dropping her eyes to her lap where she fidgeted nervously with her hands. A heavy silence fell over the room as the pair desperately searched for something to say. It was Marinette who broke the silence. “Thank you, by the way. You probably saved my life,” she whispered, cheeks reddening.

“Naw, I’m fairly certain they just wanted your virtue but you’re welcome. Saving damsels in distress is only one of my many talents,” Adrien quipped, turning to grin at her. The smile faded when he noticed the tears streaming silently down the girl’s face. Like most guys, Adrien could handle a lot of things but a crying female wasn’t one of them. He stared helplessly as she let out a quiet sob.

“I’m such an idiot,” she mumbled, lifting a hand to dash at the tears. They were immediately replaced by a fresh wave. “I should have known they had an ulterior motive.”

“Hey, now… you had no way of knowing. It was an honest mistake,” Adrien said, worry clouding his eyes. “Really um… there’s no need to cry. It’s over now so…” He trailed off as she only cried harder. Great, this wasn’t working at all. “Can I get you something to eat? I can order room service. You can get whatever you want!”

Marinette gave him a teary-eyed look and shook her head. “Are you crazy? Room service is so expensive,” she sniffled. If he weren’t currently panicking over the crying girl in front of him, Adrien might have laughed over how the price was what she immediately latched onto. He was right. This strange and enchanting creature before him was _nothing_ like Chloe Bourgeois.

“I can afford it, really,” he assured her, hiding his amusement. She gave him a dubious look and shook her head.

“No, no I can’t. I don’t even know your name and you already saved me. I don’t want to be more of a burden,” she said, lips quivering.

“Adrien! My name is Adrien. _Please_ don’t start crying again!” The blonde haired boy yelped, reaching over and grabbing the room service menu and shoving it into her hands. “Really, I insist. They have a great chocolate cake here. Crying girls like chocolate, right?” He offered helplessly.

Marinette stared at him for a long moment. Her lips twitched and slowly, a smile curved her mouth. She giggled, and Adrien was fairly certain he had died and gone to heaven. Never before had a girl’s laugh affected him so completely. Her shoulders shook violently with mirth as she laughed harder, wiping her tears away and offering him a grin. “You-you’re such a guy~” she giggled, shaking her head. “What is it about girls crying that is so terrifying? You- you should have seen your face.”

Adrien relaxed, a soft smile curving his lips as he watched the girl giggle. She was absolutely adorable. “So… are you going to tell me your name?”

Surprise flitted across the girl’s face, followed by an embarrassed flush. “O-oh, of course. I’m Marinette,” she smiled shyly, dropping her gaze to the blue comforter that covered the bed and her lap. Adrien wasn’t sure what possessed him, but he found his hand reaching out to tuck a lock of her hair back behind her ear. The pair smiled nervously at one another.

“Marinette… that’s a beautiful name,” Adrien whispered, leaning closer. Marinette let out a shaky breath, her eyes never leaving his.

“Th-thank you,” she whispered quietly. Adrien shifted even closer, going slow, giving her every chance to pull away. She didn’t pull away, however, and after what seemed like an eternity, his lips brushed against hers. Marinette’s eyes slid shut and a soft, delighted sigh escaped her as she kissed him back. Neither of them were really the type for one night stands or hookups, but for that night only, they decided to give in to their baser instincts and have one, perfect night. Little did they know, that night would change their lives forever.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS HAS BEEN UPDATED! I am now thoroughly satisfied with where this chapter is. I would like to make a HUGE shoutout to Akatsukifan who commented on the original chapter and actually gave me the idea and the muse to completely reinvent and better this chapter. So I am totally dedicating this chapter to you. Thank you!

**Present Day**

 

Adrien Agreste bolted upright in bed, heart thudding painfully in his chest. Even with his eyes open, he could still see those hauntingly beautiful bluebell eyes in his mind’s eye. Groaning in frustration, the man raked a hand roughly through his blonde hair, mussing it further than it already was. It had been roughly six years since the night he had met and slept with the raven-haired beauty; six years since she had slipped from his hotel room in the wee hours of the morning and disappeared. Like some sort of twisted Cinderella story, Adrien had searched high and low for the beautiful girl, desperate to find her. Unlike in Cinderella, however, he never did locate her. There were simply too many girls in Paris with the name Marinette and she hadn’t been one of the ones who had come forward. It was possible she hadn’t heard of his quest to find her, of course. He had been forced to keep his search on the down low lest his father hear of it and put a stop to his efforts. Still, a small part of him had always worried she had purposefully chosen not to step forward; that she hadn’t been interested in anything more than that one, perfect night.

Beside him, the bed shifted as his fiancee shifted in her sleep. Adrien glanced at her with a grimace. In a few months time, he would be a married man. He really ought to stop thinking about the mysterious and beautiful Marinette. She was a thing of the past whereas Chloe Bourgeois was, unfortunately, his present and future. Adrien cared about the blonde-haired girl, of course. She was his first friend, one of the few constants in his life. He had known Chloe since they were infants. Their mothers’ had been childhood best friends and so as kids, they had spent a lot of time together. When Chloe’s mother died of cancer, it had been Adrien at her side, picking up the pieces and holding the blonde together. When Adrien’s mother had disappeared a few years later, Chloe had been there resolutely, refusing to allow him to succumb to the darkness. They had history and he honestly couldn’t imagine his life without her.

Granted, it was his father who originally suggested that he date Chloe in the first place. Adrien’s feelings for the girl had only ever been platonic. One didn’t just deny a request from Gabriel Agreste, however, least of all his own son. So, Adrien had asked the blonde out and, three years later they were now engaged. Although Adrien didn’t love her in a romantic sense, he did feel he could be happy with her. The blonde could be a bit of a stuck-up diva at times, and he didn’t like how callously she often treated others. But she was kind and considerate to him and he felt their life together could be a comfortable one, at least. If it made Chloe and his father happy, Adrien didn’t mind settling. Besides, it wasn’t like he had any way of finding the girl of his dreams. For all he knew, she could have dropped off the face of the planet. Little did he know, she was a lot closer than he thought.

  


A mere five blocks away, the Boulangerie Patisserie was bustling with the morning rush. Sabine Cheng smiled warmly as she cashed out another customer and bid them a good day, before turning to the next customer with a sunny smile. Meanwhile, in the kitchen, her husband meticulously decorated an order of cupcakes that were to be delivered that afternoon. The warm smell of freshly baked pastries and the enticing scent of hot chocolate and freshly brewed coffee permeated the air and created a calming atmosphere for the bakery’s occupants. A crash followed by a muffled yelp sounded from upstairs, and although a few of the customers looked towards the ceiling in concern, the bakery owners simply waved them off. They were well accustomed to the sounds of their daughter waking up. Upstairs, Marinette Dupain-Cheng had fully worked herself into a tizzy. She yelped as she tripped down the stairs leading up to her attic bedroom. A toothbrush dangled haphazardly between her teeth, toothpaste dribbling from the corner of her mouth as she hopped around on one foot, trying to pull her ankle high boot onto her foot. Simultaneously, she was somehow attempting to pull her jacket on. She was late; she was so, so late and she could _not_ be late today.

Perched on the couch in the living room, Emma Dupain-Cheng watched her mother, a slight frown disturbing the five-year old’s face. At her age, Emma was already used to the morning craziness that always ensued whenever her mother was involved. Beside her, her twin brother giggled around his mouthful of croissant. Although the pair were twins, they looked almost nothing alike. Emma was tall and willowy. Her long hair was blue-black like her mother’s and grandmother’s, perhaps a shade or two darker, but her eyes were an electric green instead of blue or hazel. Her brother was short and scrawny, much smaller than most boys his age. He had a full head of shaggy blonde hair and deep, bluebell eyes only a shade or two darker than his mother’s. The pair shared a look, amusement dancing in their wide eyes.

“ _Maman_ , are you okay?” Emma asked, wincing as her mother jumped in surprise and very nearly toppled over. Although she was nearing her twenty-eighth birthday, Marinette was still as jumpy and easily startled as she had been in middle school. Some things never changed. Turning, the dark-haired woman smiled sheepishly at her children.

“Yes, _bébé_ , _Maman’s_ fine. Just in a hurry. Can you help Louie with his shoes?” She asked, smiling affectionately as her daughter bobbed her head and scampered off to find their shoes. Louis said nothing; he simply watched them and continued nibbling on his croissant. Although the twins were, obviously, the same age and Louis could speak just as well as his sister, he often chose not too. He was a quiet, shy boy. Finished dressing, Marinette crossed the room, cupped the boy’s cheek, and planted an affectionate kiss on his forehead. “Louie, do you want to hang out with Auntie Alya and Uncle Nino today?” She asked gently, crouching before the child.

Alya and Nino were the only ones outside of their immediate family that the child was usually comfortable around. He pursed his lips uncertainty. “Will Martin be there?” He asked, hope shining in his blue eyes. Martin was Alya’s eldest, only a few months older than Louis and Emma were. Marinette nodded thoughtfully.

“I don’t see why not. You guys don’t have school today,” she murmured thoughtfully. It was Saturday, and normally Marinette would spend half the day lounging in bed watching Disney movies with the two five-year-olds, but today was a special day. Today, she would sign the lease on her new apartment and finally move her little family out of her parents’ apartment and into their own. She would once again have her own room, and although Louie and Emma would still have to share a bedroom, she had high hopes that this was a step in the right direction for their future. There was also the added bonus that she would live in the same building as Alya and Nino.

“Can Martin spend the night, _Maman_?” Louie asked, drawing her from her thoughts and bringing her back to the here and now. Right, if they didn’t get a move on, there might not be an apartment to lease!

“Not tonight, _mon amour_ , but soon, I promise. Get your shoes on now,” she stood up as Emma returned to assist her brother with his shoes. In the meantime, Marinette made her way into the apartments’ kitchen to pack the kids a snack. She knew her friend was always happy to supply food for the twins when they visited, but she still felt bad about imposing upon Alya like that. After packing some goldfish crackers, carrot sticks and a couple juice pouches for the kids, she grabbed her purse. “Emma, Louie, are you ready to go?”

“Yes, _Maman_ ,” the twins coursed, scampering into view. Marinette allowed the pair to precede her as she turned off the lights and exited the apartment. It was time to begin the first day of the rest of their lives.

  


Adrien adjusted the tie at his throat, inspecting his reflection thoughtfully in the bathroom mirror. He personally thought he cleaned up rather well. He was wearing a black button up dress shirt over pressed, dark wash jeans. Simple and elegant, and the dark green tie at his throat gave an air of elegance and professionalism suitable for the day ahead. It was nearing noon and although he had allowed himself to take the morning off, he had a few appointments he had promised his father he would handle that afternoon. Recently, his father had been giving the blonde-haired man a lot more responsibilities when it came to the company. Rather than focus on the modeling side of things, he was slowly starting to focus on the financial aspects of running a successful business. It made sense. Adrien had attended college years ago, majoring in business and design, and it was nice to finally put his degree to use. Most of the appointments that day were rather trivial. He had to meet with a few designers to clear their final design pieces before they could be submitted to his father for approval; then he had to go over a potential business venture with a client that hoped to expand the Gabriel brand, give it a modern flare. Adrien was intrigued by that one; Gabriel Agreste rarely liked change and if they signed off on this, there would be a few major changes that would help reinvent the brand.

The most important meeting of the day, however, was with Tara Lacrosse. Adrien had met Tara before, on several occasions. She was a rather eccentric older woman in her mid-forties. She was scatterbrained, disorganized, and utterly brilliant and he had collaborated with her on a few different projects in the past. The American Designer definitely knew what she was doing. From what Adrien had gathered, the Designer was returning to America soon and had taken on an apprentice who, unfortunately, was unable to leave France at the time. Something about family obligations? Tara had sounded extremely distraught over losing her apprentice but hadn’t been able to delay her return to the United States any further. Regardless, the girl must have made quite an impression on the seasoned designer because she was willing to put her own neck on the line by suggesting Gabriel hire her onto his design team when she left France. As the son of the CEO, Adrien had been tasked with doing a preliminary interview and he had to admit, he was curious. Tara Lacrosse was a sweet and friendly woman, but she wasn’t the type to give unwarranted praise. She could be a tough cookie when she wanted to be. This girl must have been pretty special.

“Adrikiins, come back to bed,” Chloe’s high pitched whine called from the bedroom. Adrien internally winced.

“I uh- I can’t, Chloe. I promised I would meet Nino for an early lunch before I have my first meeting of the day,” he called through the door. He hated lying to her, but after last nights’ dream, he had no desire to be intimate with his fiancee. Not right now anyway. No matter. He would simply call Nino up and suggest they get lunch. If he did that, it wouldn’t technically be a lie, right?

“Nino? Are you still hanging out with that geek?” Chloe scoffed as he stepped out of the bathroom. Adrien gave her a warning look, but she pretended not to notice. “Surely there are better ways to waste your time, Adrikiins. Tell me, is he still dating that reporter girl? What was her name…?”

“Chloe, you went to school with them. You know her name,” Adrien said with a sigh. Chloe sat up from where she was lounging on the bed in a pink satin teddy, her lip curling up in disgust.

“That’s right. Alya. She’s still friends with that Maritrash girl,” Chloe snorted delicately. Adrien gave her an amused look. He had never met the girl Chloe spoke so lowly of, though he knew they had known each other since preschool. From how Chloe described her, she wasn’t a person he wanted to know either. Apparently, this Mari person had been harassing Chloe since they were little girls. Chloe was hard to handle at times but this girl sounded about twenty times worse. High Maintenance, stubborn, manipulative, and conceited, Those were just a few words Chloe had used to describe her in the past. She also liked to point out that the mysterious girl always seemed to have others wrapped around her finger; like she could do no wrong. From what Chloe had told him, he already didn’t like her. She sounded like a terrible person. He sincerely hoped he never had the misfortune of meeting her. He didn’t even know her full name; Chloe only ever referred to her as Maritrash.

“I have to go, but I’ll see you tonight?” Adrien said, choosing to dismiss her comment about her childhood bully for the time being. Chloe wasn’t a little girl anymore. She could handle herself and whoever this Mari person was. For now though… Chloe shifted to the edge of the bed and grabbed his tie, tugging him closer. Adrien went without protest, kissing her back as she pressed her lips to his. She attempted to deepen the kiss, no doubt trying to convince him to stay and lounge in bed a while longer, but Adrien carefully detangled himself. He wasn’t up for faking desire right now. She pouted but Adrien simply bid her goodbye and left the room without a backward glance. As he headed down the hall, he pulled out his phone to text Nino. Now that he thought about it, an early lunch with his friend sounded relaxing.

 

 **A;** **_Hey, man, you busy?_ **

**N;** **_Not really. At home with the Misses and kids. What’s up?_ **

**A;** **_Have a lil free time. Feel like meeting up for lunch?_ **

**N;** **_Sounds like fun; can Alya and the kids come?_ **

**A;** **_Do you really have to ask?_ **

**N;** **_Lol guess not. Usual place in thirty?_ **

**A;** **_Sounds like a plan. Talk soon._ **

 

Adrien slid the cell phone back into his pocket and headed down the long hallway of the Agreste Mansion towards the grand staircase and the foyer. Although he had opted to remain living with his father the past few years, Adrien had decided that once he and Chloe were married, they would move into their own place. Chloe hadn’t been too thrilled; she insisted that living with his father had its benefits but Adrien refused to live under his father’s roof once he was a married man. He had always wished for freedom and independence but after graduating high school, he had more or less resigned himself to the life fate seemed to have planned for him. As he descended the stairs, something black streaked up the stairs past him and he paused to look back at the cat who had paused at the top of the stairs. The cat stared back at him, green eyes narrowed, and let out a plaintive _meeooooow_. Adrien smiled at the grumpy furball. He had found the cat two years ago when he was just a scrappy, half-starved kitten. His father hadn’t been exactly pleased with the cat’s presence, Chloe even less so, but he had permitted the cat to stay nonetheless.

“I know you’ve already been fed, Plagg, so don’t even give me that,” he said, earning a disgruntled glare from the cat. Plagg meowed again and rose, taking a few steps towards Adrien’s bedroom before looking expectantly back at the man. The blonde shook his head apologetically. “No, Plagg. I have to go. If I were you, I would steer clear though. Chloe’s back there,” he grinned as the cat hissed and arched his back, fur fluffing out until he looked twice as big as he actually was. Yeah, Plagg and Chloe were definitely not fond of each other and with a twitch of his tail the cat turned and stalked off in the opposite direction, no doubt to find a new place to nap. Chuckling to himself, Adrien turned and continued down the stairs and out the front door. Although he still had a driver at his beck and call, Adrien opted to walk. Despite the slight bite in the air, it was a beautiful, crisp Autumn day and he had always loved the hustle and bustle of Paris during the lunch run. Exiting the tall gates that surrounded the Agreste mansion, he turned right and headed for the cafe to meet his friends.

  


“Babe, come on. We’re gonna be late,” Nino Lahiffe sighed, giving his wife an amused look. The woman in question was crouched over their new baby stroller, grumbling softly as she tried to strap in their youngest child. It was a newer model, gifted to her by a co-worker who had been out of town on assignment for the past year and had therefore missed the birth of their youngest child. The stroller was one of those high tech ones that converted as the child aged but actually figuring out how it worked was proving difficult.

“I’ve almost got it. Hold on… confound it, who invented this stupid thing anyway!” Alya grunted in frustration as she tried once more to adjust the straps appropriately around her daughter’s shoulders. One-year-old Naomi giggled as her mother mumbled incoherently, finally managing to snap the buckle into place and tighten the straps before straightening up. When Nino’s best friend, Adrien Agreste, had texted him asking to meet up for an early lunch, the family had decided to all go out. Alya had already texted Marinette, gaining her approval to take the twins out, and now all five children (Nino and Alya’s three and Marinette’s two) were bundled up and ready to go. Nino picked up three-year-old Micah who clapped excitedly at the thought of going out and carefully maneuvered Naomi’s stroller out the door, while Alya trailed after him with the other three children in tow. Rather than drive or take the bus, they opted to walk. The children could use the exercise and the cafe was only a few blocks away. Despite the slight chill in the air, it was a beautiful day. The sun was shining, the skies were blue, and only a few wispy clouds floated above.

The young parents watched in amusement as Emma and Martin scampered ahead, giggling, while little Louis opted to stick close by Alya, one hand clamped firmly around hers. The blonde boy nibbled at his thumb on his other hand, seemingly deep in thought. It was a comical look on the face of a five-year-old and the brunette affectionately ruffled his blonde locks, drawing his solemn blue eyes to hers. The walk was quiet, save for the occasionally bubbly chatter of the two five-year-olds bouncing ahead, and the intermittent cooing of Nino as he baby talks to Naomi. The shrieking giggle of the little girl was enough to warm even the coldest of hearts on that blustery day. Ahead of them, the cafe came into view and with it, the familiar blonde figure of Adrien Agreste. Micah squealed upon spotting the man whom he had come to adore and immediately reached for him despite still being half a block away and stuck in his father’s arms. Martin, having no such issues, took off with Emma trailing in his wake.

Adrien crouched as the five-year-old flew towards him with reckless abandon and scooped the child up affectionately. As the parents approached, they could hear the man and boy giggling conspiratorially, their heads bent close together. Adrien grinned at them as they reached the doors of the cafe.

“Nino, Alya, it’s been way too long. How’s life been treating you?” Adrien asked warmly, shifting his grip on the squirming five-year-old so as not to drop him. He barely took notice as the child tugged roughly at his blonde hair. He had always loved kids and he had a special place in his heart for Nino’s children.

“I have no complaints,” Alya said, smiling affectionately at her husband. Nino wrapped his free arm around her waist, drawing her into his side.

“Life’s great, dude. How about you?” He asked warmly, shifting his hold on Micah and using a foot to keep Naomi’s stroller from rolling off. He had gotten fairly proficient at multitasking. Three kids and a crazy journalist wife who often liked to risk her own neck for an exclusive story did that to a guy.

“No complaints here. Father’s giving me more responsibility over the company and Chloe is… well, Chloe is Chloe.” Adrien smiled ruefully and lifted his shoulders in a shrug. He didn’t notice the other children until a soft, feminine giggle drew his attention down. He blinked, surprised. A girl he had never seen before stood before him. She couldn’t be more than five or six years of age. Even if he hadn’t known each of Nino and Alya’s children since birth, it was pretty obvious she wasn’t theirs. She was incredibly fair skinned with deep blue-black hair and wide, electric green eyes that were currently latched onto Martin as he made goofy faces at her.

As if sensing his gaze, those startling green eyes flickered to him and she blinked curiously, head canting to the side like an inquisitive kitten. For some reason, Adrien felt a lump form in his throat as he stood there, trapped in the child’s unwavering gaze. “Who are you?” She suddenly spoke, her voice ringing out clear and harmonious, like the sound of wind chimes in a soft summer breeze. Such an oddly familiar voice.

“I- I’m Adrien. Adrien Agreste. And who are you?” He asked, surprised at how difficult speaking had suddenly become.

“Emilia Rose Dupain-Cheng. That’s my brother, Louis Adrien Dupain-Cheng,” she turned and pointed towards Alya’s leg. Following her finger, Adrien saw another child peeking out from behind his friend’s legs. The two children looked almost nothing alike. Louis was smaller than Emilia, scrawnier too. He looked to be about four, but the solemn look on his face was one belonging to a much older person. The boy was as fair skinned as his sister but he had a mop of unruly blonde hair atop his head; hair that was so long it partially shrouded the brilliant blue eyes that dominated his face. Looking into those eyes now, Adrien had the most surreal sense of Deja Vu. He knew this boy; he was certain of it. The problem was, he didn’t know _how_ he knew him or _where_ he had met him. Or his sister for that matter.

“Adrien? Are you okay?” Alya snapped him out of his thoughts when she placed a worried hand upon his shoulder. Shaking his head, he forced a smile and bobbed his head, perhaps a bit too forcefully.

“Yeah, I just um… yeah, I’m fine. Uh, where did you pick up the two strays? You adopt without telling me?” He let out a breathy laugh, his gaze flicking once more to Louis who simply hid further in the folds of Alya’s pants leg.

“Emma and Louie are my best friend’s kids’. I suppose you haven’t met her yet, though. You’re always so busy and she is too. She’s an aspiring fashion designer, actually,” Alya said thoughtfully, dropping a reassuring hand on top of Louis’ head. The boy leaned into her tough, all the while eyeballing Adrien cautiously.

“Are we going to stand around here all day? Or are we going to go in and eat?” Nino suddenly asked, cutting through the sudden silence. Relieved at the change of subject, Adrien nodded and pulled open the door, allowing his friends and the children to enter the building before following them inside. A hostess greeted them as they entered and because the cafe was relatively empty, they were seated almost immediately in a booth near the back windows. Adrien found himself in the booth with his back to the windows, Emma directly beside him and Louis sitting beside her on the inside of the booth. Nino and Alya sat opposite them, Martin between them while  Nino held Naomi and Micah sat at the end of the table in a high chair. The hostess brought them all waters and menus, as well as crayons to allow the kids to color in their kids menus before departing on the promise that their waitress would be by to take their orders shortly.

The children fell silent as they began to color, but Adrien still couldn’t help his gaze from trailing over the pair beside him from time to time. “You said their mother is your best friend? How odd that I’ve never met her… how old are they?” He nodded in the direction of Emma and Louis.

“They’re five; hard to believe they’re twins-they’re as different as night and day, and not only in looks-but it’s true,” Alya smiled affectionately as she turned to watch the children. As three adults watched, Louis accidently broke one of his crayons and without missing a beat, Emma deposited her own crayon in front of him, taking the broken one for herself. Adrien blinked, impressed.

“Only five? They seem so… I don’t know, mature? They’re very well behaved for kids. Even Martin isn’t that well behaved,” he nodded to where the boy in question was trying to stick his green crayon up his nose. Alya gasped and immediately snatched the object away from the boy with a disapproving look. It was Nino who answered him, gaze trailing over the twins.

“It surprises most people; their dad was never in the picture. I’m not even entirely possible Mari knows his name. Regardless, she raised them pretty much alone. I mean, she had her parents and her friends but yeah… they’re like this because she’s a great mother. She taught them from a very young age to respect all living things.” He trailed with a shrug and the two men settled for watching the twins interact quietly while Alya wrangled a mischievous Martin. It wasn’t until the waitress arrived that they drew their gazes from the children.

“Good afternoon, my name is Angelica and I-” The girl started, breaking off with a start when Adrien looked up at her. “Omigawd… you- you’re Adrien Agreste!” She squeaked, nearly dropping the notepad clutched between her fingers. Adrien smiled kindly, used to this kind of attention.

“The one and only. It’s nice to-” Adrien began, but she cut him off before he could finish.

“Are those your kids? I didn’t know you had kids! They are so cute! What are their names?” She gushed, leaning over to beam at Emma and Louis who were both now staring at the woman blankly. Adrien felt his cheeks warm under the woman’s assumption.

“Oh, no uh… Emma and Louis aren’t mine.” He quickly said, a blush burning across his cheeks. Any other time, Adrien might have speculated on the weird way his stomach twisted and his heart dropped when he spoke those words. After all, they _weren’t_ his kids. Eventually he definitely wanted them but that hadn’t happened yet and likely wouldn’t for a long time. Chloe still wasn’t super convinced she wanted kids and it would take a lot of convincing to change her mind. The waitress blushed a deep scarlet and quickly scrambled to apologize for her assumption. Adrien quickly assured her that no harm was done, keeping his model smile in place as she took their orders and scurried away. When she was out of sight, he turned to find Alya giving him a speculative look.

“You know… they do kind of look like you. Something you aren’t telling us, Agreste?” She asked teasingly. Adrien glanced at the children beside him while Alya turned to answer whatever question Martin had just asked. Because she had turned away, she missed the wistful smile, the sad gleam in his eye as he wondered… would he ever be lucky enough to have children as amazing as these two? To have children at all? From the bottom of his heart, he sincerely hoped so.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter took a bit longer to write than expected but honestly in writing this I also had so many ideas of where this story could go xD watching 'Forever My Girl' helped too. That movie is so similar to the base idea of this one that watching it was a great source of inspiration. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy!
> 
> Please note that while a lot of my stories are rather quick to get to the sin, I kinda want to build this one a bit slower but I promise, sin will happen haha. Fluff simply must happen first. Expect some Adrienete fluff within the next few chapters xD

Adrien ran a hand through his hair, staring up at the office building that Tara Lacrosse had been using for the past three years while residing in Paris. The building wasn’t nearly as imposing as some of the ones his father owned, but it was impressive in its own right. The building was four stories high and spanned five city blocks in length. It was predominantly made of brick, the large and brightly lit windows evenly spaced across the first three floors. The bottom floor housed the Lobby. It was a beautiful space, the floors black marble and the walls a muted gray. The circular reception desk sat in the center of the room, and a small sitting area sat to the left of the door with a few big, brown leather chairs and small tables housing piles of the latest fashion magazines. Large ferns were strategically placed in each of the four corners of the room, adding a splash of color to the room. A massive chandelier hung over the front desk, gleaming brightly. Adrien nodded to the receptionist as he headed straight for the elevator bank on the back wall. He took the elevator to the fourth floor, where Tara Lacrosse conducted her most important meetings. Supposedly she had an office on the third floor but he had never actually seen it. Apparently, he was deemed one of her “important guests” and therefore was always directed to the fourth floor. The second and third floors of the building housed offices and designing studios but the fourth floor had always been his favorite and with good reason.

The first time Adrien had met Madame Lacrosse had been here, in this very building. His father had been with him then, and Adrien had honestly been more intrigued by the building’s history than the collaboration his father had wanted to discuss with Tara. According to Madame Lacrosse, the building had once been a small, luxury hotel, sold off when Andre Bourgeois opened his own, much larger hotel years before Adrien had ever been born. The fourth floor was actually a penthouse suite. While the rest of the building had been converted, altered, and redesigned numerous times as it was passed from one owner to the next, the penthouse had been pretty much left alone. The apartment was almost entirely made of glass giving its occupants an uninterrupted view of the Parisian skyline. Stepping off the elevator, he couldn’t help but turn to look towards the Eiffel Tower. As evening began to fall, the tower was lit up against the backdrop of the rapidly darkening sky. The space was a testament to the artist who lived there. Art littered the walls, most of it bright and colorful. The walls were a deep, navy blue, causing the white shag rug that dominated the floor and the deep burgundy sectional to stand out all the more. A glass coffee table, littered with half-finished sketches and precariously tall piles of fashion magazines sat between the couch and the large, plasma screen tv that sat above a brick fireplace. Black throw pillows littered the couch and a fat, orange tabby cat was currently making his home on one of the pillows.

As Adrien moved into the room further, the cat opened one green eye to glare balefully before closing his eyes and resuming his nap. As far as he could tell, the cat didn’t really like anyone aside from Tara. Looking around, Adrien realized that the fashion designer was nowhere to be found. The apartment was nearly silent, save for the soft sound of piano music that spilled from the apartments’ surround sound system. He frowned slightly and headed in the direction of the kitchen but there was still no sign of the woman. He was about to call her when the sound of hurried footsteps caught his attention. Tara Lacrosse rounded the corner from the direction opposite of which he had come from and nearly screamed when she spotted him.

“Adrien! Oh my, is it already six o’clock?” She asked, looking flustered as she rapidly reached up to run her fingers through her hair. Adrien smiled in amusement at her frazzled state. Tara was a small woman, and despite her age, she still had a youthful glow about her that appealed to him. When he was with Tara, he didn’t feel like he was talking to one of his father’s colleagues but rather a friend. Tara was very petite, standing just over five feet tall, with spiky, pastel pink and lavender hair and deep caramel skin. Her golden brown eyes were warm and friendly, but they were also sharp and alert. Nothing got past her.

“Yes, Madam. I’m sorry, I should have called before coming up. I didn’t mean to startle you,” he apologized, but she waved him off with one perfectly manicured hand.

“Nonsense, my dear. I simply lost track of time.” She said, turning to the fridge. Rather than open it, however, she plucked a handful of takeout menus from the where they were pinned to the door with a magnetized clip. Spreading them out, she gestured for the man to look them over. “Take your pick. Mari is running late so we might as well order now,” she said, sifting through the pile thoughtfully.

  


Marinette adjusted her messenger bag over her shoulder, her grip tightening on her coffee cup and her heart pounding as she hurried towards her boss’ studio. In signing the lease for her new apartment and waiting for her new furniture to be delivered, she had completely forgotten that Tara had asked her to come by that night at 6 o’clock. It was already 6:15, and she was still several blocks away. The girl had the forethought to change before leaving the apartment; she had no idea why Tara wanted her to come over but showing up to your boss’ apartment in stained sweatpants and an oversized pajama shirt with no bra on was never a good idea. She had thrown on a red button up blouse and a black pencil skirt over black tights and her favorite pair of black flats. Now, she was sincerely glad she hadn’t worn heels. No way would she have been able to run in those. Arriving at last, she tripped through the front doors nearly scaring the receptionist, Tammy, half to death. Calling out a string of hurried apologies over her shoulder, Marinette scrambled across the lobby and slammed her finger onto the elevator button several times in rapid succession, as if that might bring the stupid thing down to ground level faster. Unfortunately, the elevator was just as slow as ever and she was seriously beginning to contemplate taking the stairs when the doors finally slid open with a ding and she stepped inside. A relieved sigh escaped her as she leaned back against the wall.

As the elevator began inching its way towards the penthouse, Marinette pulled her hair into a messy bun atop her head, straightened her blouse, and pulled her main sketchpad from her bag. She was careful to hold the leather-bound book in such a way that wouldn’t result in the loose sketches scattering across the floor. Marinette almost always carried a sketchpad with her just in case inspiration struck, but she rarely carted around _this_ sketchpad. It was her favorite, and she only drew final designs of her favorite creations in it. She had a few designs she was hoping to run by Tara. The elevator ground to a halt as she reached the penthouse suite and Marinette stepped into the spacious living room, glancing around.

The living room was empty, save for Bartholomew. Bart was Tara’s fat orange tabby cat. He didn’t like most people as a general rule but he especially disliked Marinette. She had stepped on his tail and tripped over him one too many times for his comfort and with a hiss aimed her way, he sprang up and darted off in towards the kitchen. Seeing as how that was the direction in which Tara’s voice floated, Marinette followed after the cat slowly. Her eyes were trained on the sketches before her as she precariously balanced the coffee and sketchbook while flipping through her designs. She didn’t register the voice, the distinctively _male_ voice, moving closer to her until she rounded the corner and slammed directly into him.

  


With the food ordered, Adrien settled into an easy discussion with Tara as she flitted about the kitchen pulling out plates and utensils in preparation for the food that would be delivered within the next hour. Talking to the lively woman was always interesting because she had absolutely no direction whatsoever. One moment she was commenting on the weather and the next she was going off on a tangent of how different French musicians were from American ones. He mostly listened, content to let her rant and rave to her heart's content. He enjoyed listening to her talk about America with such reverence. It was obvious she loved her home very much. It was rare he was around people as energetic as she was. It saddened him that she was returning to the United States, he would miss her dreadfully, but he understood her homesickness. He couldn’t imagine spending so much time away from Paris. The ding of the elevator went off and Adrien glanced at the clock in surprise. It was just after 6:30 and he hadn’t expected their food until nearly 7 o’clock. Nevertheless, he waved Tara off when she moved to go investigate, assuring her that he could handle it.

“I’ll be back in a fla-” Adrien was saying over his shoulder as he rounded the corner towards the living room, but the words were cut off when someone slammed into him. It was almost comical, the way the sprite-like woman bounced off him with a startled squeak, landing gracelessly on her derriere. She was quite possibly even shorter than Tara, probably not even reaching five feet, blue-black hair falling into her face as long tendrils escaped the haphazard bun she had previously tied them into. Adrien glanced down to find a large, warm coffee stain spreading across his chest, the cup half squashed at his feet, and various pieces of paper scattered every which way across the floor. At least her coffee wasn’t hot. That would have sucked.

“Goddamnit, of all the days for my clumsiness to strike-” the girl was hissing quietly, shifting onto her knees to grab the scattered papers. Adrien grimaced and immediately stooped to help her.

“I’m sorry, I wasn’t looking where I was going,” he apologized, carefully gathering up her scattered papers. His green eyes flicked down to one image he held and interest immediately flashed in his eyes. If this was Tara’s assistant, he could see why she was so invested in the girl’s talent. The sketch was incredibly detailed; it was a dress, black on top with a full, ruffled skirt in a pretty neon green below. The dress was cinched at the waist with a belt and there was some sort of symbol on the chest… a paw print maybe? Before he could study it further, the page was plucked hastily from his hands and shoved back into the sketchbook she held.

“Don’t look at that; it isn’t done. Also, I should be the one apologizing; I am such a klutz,” she said, her face still almost completely shrouded by her hair. Adrien stared at her, the sudden need to see her face nearly overwhelming him. Her voice was beautiful. Soft, melodious, and warm. There was a healthy dose of self-deprecation in her tone but he couldn’t bring himself to care at the moment. Although her eyes were covered by unruly black locks, Adrien could make out the gentle curve of her cheekbones, cupid bow lips quirked up in a rueful smile, a button nose. She had a smattering of freckles that graced her cheeks and dusted her nose. He found his eyes tracing her features, those that he could see, unable to look away. The girl started to stand and immediately he rose and took her hand to help her. It was as he was pulling her to her feet that her bangs shifted slightly, parting just enough for him to make out a pair of pretty bluebell eyes darkened with consternation. His breath caught as he stared down at her. She hadn’t looked up yet, had no idea it was him. Would she remember him? Before he could stop himself, Adrien felt his lips part to form one word. One name. _Her_ name.

“Marinette.”

  


Marinette froze at the sound of her name.  It wasn’t so much that he _knew_ her name… Tara could have easily given him that information. It was the way he said it, the way his tone caressed the syllables. The way her name rolled off his tongue. For a moment, she was no longer in her Boss’ hallway but in a dimly lit hotel room, a pair of green eyes locked upon her blue ones. A voice, rich and full of warmth, that had caressed her name much in the way this man’s voice was doing now. _Marinette… that’s a beautiful name._ Breath hitching, Marinette slowly lifted her eyes to the man’s face. Her heart stuttered erratically and her stomach tightened nervously as she stared into the all too familiar gaze of…

“Mr. Agreste,” she squeaked, leaping to her feet and yanking her hand from his. Adrien Agreste blinked slowly, fingers flexing slightly at the sudden absence of hers before he slowly rose as well.

“You… you know who I am,” he said slowly. It wasn’t a question but she found herself nodding nonetheless.

“With all due respect, sir, I _am_ a fashion student. I’ve always known who you are,” she said shakily. It was mostly true. Six years ago, Marinette had almost been date raped, only to be saved by a handsome stranger. A very familiar stranger. When she had slept with him that night, she had only known him as Adrien but upon entering her college classroom the next night, it quickly dawned upon her just _who_ she had a one night stand with. It was hard not to notice when his face was plastered across the multitude of fashion magazines that littered her university classroom. The corner of one of her designs stuck out of her sketchbook and Marinette found herself fidgeting with the scrap nervously as he stared down at her, his gaze unreadable. Before he could say anything, her boss rounded the corner, no doubt wondering what all the commotion was about.

“Oh good, you two have met,” Tara exclaimed as she spotted the pair, making no comment as to Marinette’s disheveled and stricken appearance or the fact that coffee droplets littered the ground and stained Adrien’s shirt front. By this point, she was unfortunately used to the fact that misfortune followed her apprentice like the plague. “Come along, you two. We have much to discuss before the food arrives.

  


Twenty minutes later, the food had arrived and Adrien had changed into a tee-shirt that Tara had happened to have laying around. The perk of constantly being surrounded by fashion designers, he supposed. Although he yearned to talk to Marinette, she had pretty much stuck to Tara’s side like glue. He knew she was avoiding the conversation they needed to have, but there was little he could do about it. Not with Tara right there. Now, the women were chatting amicably with the ease of a long-established friendship. They didn’t act like boss and employee; there was a familiarity there that Adrien had always yearned for in the relationships he kept. The closest thing he could compare it to was the way he felt with Nino and Alya. He thought over what she had said, a sliver of disappointment filling him. She had known. All this time, she had known and she hadn’t sought him out?

Was she not interested in him that way? Was she currently dating someone? Was she _married_!?! No, no… she wasn’t wearing a wedding ring. Of course, he was engaged and really shouldn’t be worried about this girl’s relationship status… but he couldn’t help it. Even after six years, she was captivating. Marinette had this aura about her. It was like standing beside the sun. She was quick to smile and laugh, even if it was at her own expense. His eyes flicked to her now, studying her while she nodded and gestured animatedly as she described something to Tara. Her hair had been returned to its bun, her cheeks were flushed from exertion, and as far as he could tell she was wearing minimal makeup. Perhaps a bit of lipgloss and some mascara? She was wearing a deep red blouse that rivaled the color of Tara’s couch, the top button undone, over a black pencil skirt that hugged her figure. Her legs were hidden from view by black tights and rather than heels she had worn a simple pair of flats. Understated, but elegant at the same time.

“Adrien, darling, are you quite alright?” The sound of his name jolted him from his thoughts and he lifted his gaze to find Tara Lacrosse giving him a concerned look. Marinette was trying too hard _not_ to look at him but he didn’t miss the way her gaze flicked towards him every few seconds.

“What? Oh, yes, Madam Lacrosse. I was simply lost in thought,” he assured her with an easy grin. She watched him for a few moments before nodding and beckoning him to join them.

“We were going to eat out on the terrace if it’s alright with you?” She asked. Adrien nodded sheepishly and set about making his plate before following the two woman. The terrace was beautiful; easily it was the building’s best feature. A pretty wrought iron fence surrounded the terrace. Tara clearly liked flowers because they were everywhere, sitting on tables or lining the fence. There were too many different kinds of flowers and bushes to name, but the scent they gave off was heady. Little fairy lights were laced through the fencing and gave the whole area an ethereal glow. The trio headed for the sitting area at the center of the terrace. It wasn’t much; a fire pit, a white loveseat, and two matching armchairs. Tara took the loveseat, so Marinette and Adrien took up the two armchairs. Before they could eat, Tara turned to Marinette with a fond smile curving her lips.

“I imagine you’re wondering why I called you here tonight? I know it’s your night off and that you have obligations outside of work… but I do so appreciate you making time to come by. There is something very important I want to discuss with you,” she began, and it dawned on Adrien that Marinette had absolutely no idea what was going on. Did she even know Tara was moving back to the states? That question was answered sooner than he expected.

It’s quite alright, Tara. You know I’m always happy to make time for you if I can,” the raven-haired girl said with a gentle smile. Tara nodded slowly.

“As you know… I will be leaving by the end of the year to return to New York. You know I would like nothing more than to take you with me-” she held a hand up when Marinette opened her mouth, and immediately the younger woman closed her mouth, “-but I know that isn’t possible at the time. I respect that, Marinette. I’m disappointed but I do understand.”

“I truly am sorry, Madam. If there was any other way- but no, Paris is my home. It’s my family’s home.” She said, and Adrien didn’t miss the sadness that flickered through her blue eyes. She was going to miss Tara more than she was letting on. He could tell she was trying to be strong for the other woman. Tara nodded briskly, seeming to shake off the sadness that had immediately surrounded the pair, before smiling warmly at her apprentice.

“Right. Nevertheless, you are a talented designer, Marinette. Never before have I come across someone with such raw talent and I want to ensure your future is secure before I leave,” she said, earning a confused look from the younger woman.

“H-how do you mean?”

“I think I ought to let Adrien explain that one,” Tara said, and suddenly Adrien found both women looking at him.

“Erm, ahem… right. What do you know about the Gabriel brand, Marinette?” He asked, his heart quickening as he met her big blue eyes.

“I- your father started the company years before you were born. The brand tends to lead towards elegant, runway model stuff. Evening gowns, suits, and the like. The Gabriel brand has always catered more to the elite. It’s rather stuffy and over-the-top if you ask me but-” she broke off, alarm crossing her face as she suddenly recalled who he was. “No! No, I didn’t mean that Mr. Agreste, I-”

Marinette broke off as Adrien held up one hand. Her mortification at her words was fairly obvious but he felt only amusement. “First, it’s Adrien. Mr. Agreste is my father. And second, you totally meant every word. Relax. I respect your opinion. In fact, I agree with you.” He smiled at the obvious shock that crossed her face.

“Y-you do?” She squeaked. He nodded confidently.

“I do. My father is a man set in his ways but he won’t be the face of Gabriel forever. Eventually, he will retire and when that day comes, I must be ready to assume the role of CEO. I believe that the brand needs to change; to grow with the times. My father is not entirely convinced of that… which is where you come in.” He said.

“M-me?” She squeaked. Adrien noticed with some interest that she seemed to do that a lot. It was ridiculously adorable. “But, what can I do, Mr. Agreste?”

“Adrien. And you’re a fresh face. I began working with Tara three years ago because she is unique, and her designs tend to be a little out there. Her work was well received by those who typically buy the Gabriel brand, but for obvious reasons, Tara can’t be one of our fulltime designers.”

“Because she owns her own brand? There’s a conflict of interest, I suppose,” Marinette mused, nodding slowly. The blonde haired man nodded enthusiastically.

“Exactly. I trust Tara’s opinion implicitly and she thinks quite highly of you, Marinette. I would be more than willing to offer you the job on the spot just by her suggestion, but my father is not nearly as convinced…” he explained with a shrug. He couldn’t quite tell but he was sure a flicker of disappointment appeared in her eyes before she masked it. “That’s why I want to show him what you can do,” Adrien continued, earning a curious look from the girl.

“And how do you propose we do that, Mr. Agreste?” She asked.

“It’s _Adrien_ ,” he said, giving her an exasperated look. She shrugged and arched a challenging brow in his direction.

“I am well aware, _Mr. Agreste._ ” She retorted. Adrien resisted the urge to roll his eyes at her cheeky response and opted to move on. They could come back to that later. For now, however…

“Help me reinvent the brand, Marinette. Help me give Gabriel a whole new look, a whole new concept. If we pull this off, I am prepared to offer you a job as Executive Designer. Of course, aside from the occasional collaboration, you would design exclusively for Gabriel during your employment. We don’t like assisting the competition.” He met her gaze directly and grinned. “What do you say? Partners?”

  


Marinette felt her throat tighten at the mischievous smile the blonde man flashed as he uttered the word ‘partners’. She knew she should say no. Working this closely with Adrien Agreste was not a good idea. If he found out about Emma and Louis… no, that wouldn’t happen. She would make certain of it. Still, it was a risk she knew she shouldn’t even be considering. All the same, she would be lying if she said she didn’t find the offer to be enticing. He wasn’t offering her an apprenticeship. He was offering her a position as a Designer. An _Executive_ Designer. She swallowed hard, conflicted.

“I- can I think about it?” She asked, earning a surprised look from Tara. Adrien took it all in stride, however, and he nodded immediately.

“Of course, Marinette. I would like to begin the project as soon as possible, so I can only afford you a few days to think it over, unfortunately…” he smiled apologetically.

“I- I can let you know by tomorrow evening,” she offered, giving him a tentative smile. Adrien nodded, pleased.

“Excellent; I look forward to hearing from you.” He rose and Marinette immediately rose as well.

“Wait, um… how should I reach you?” She asked nervously. Adrien smiled slyly.

“I’ll call you,” he said. Marinette nodded numbly as Adrien thanked Tara for the dinner and bid them goodnight. It wasn’t until much later, after she had helped Tara clean up, after she had tucked her children into bed, and after she had settled onto her new couch with a glass of wine that she realized… she had never given Adrien Agreste her phone number.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed! Comment comment comment PLEASE. Your words of encouragement are my greatest source of inspiration. Someone simply saying they like or love my story is enough to make me wanna work twice as hard at posting a new chapter haha


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which I give you sinners a glimpse at the past xD

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *casually shoves into your faces*
> 
> Okay, so I have to be completely honest. This was NOT where I was going with this chapter originally. In fact, it isn't even where I was originally going with the story so disregard the little tidbits I gave a few of you regarding WHY Marinette didn't try to find Adrien and read this instead. I changed my mind lol Anyway the original chapter actually got bumped to the next chapter I will be posting. I was having trouble with it and simultaneously decided to give you guys what you want... which is a little insight into Marinette's thought process. Sex does not happen in this flashback. Let me be clear on that haha ;)
> 
> I would like to dedicate this chapter to lil_fangirl27. You have been an avid reader since I started posting on here and your constant encouragement brings me joy. This one is for you xD

**Six Years Ago**

 

Marinette Dupain-Cheng awoke with a happy sigh. It fluttered past her lips, a barely perceptible sound of contentment. Languid warmth flooded her limbs and curled in the pit of her stomach. If she had known sex was like that, she might have lost her virginity to a handsome stranger much sooner. The raven-haired girl was stretched out on the bed, the room dark save for the tiny sliver of light that managed to make it past the heavy curtains covering the hotel windows. Against her back, Adrien shifted and she had to suppress a giggle as he subconsciously draped an arm over her stomach and pulled her closer, face nuzzling into the crook of her neck. One thing she had learned about her mysterious lover? He was an insatiable cuddler. It was endearing and for a moment she allowed herself to relax into his embrace, allowed herself to relish the butterflies in her stomach and the tingle between her legs… until the buzz of her phone shattered the silence. She had put the blasted thing on vibrate but she had also left it sitting against the bare wood of the bedside table. Needless to say, she was quick to extract herself from the blonde’s embrace to scoop the offending device up less it wake the man prematurely.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, sans clothes, Marinette unlocked her cell phone and immediately her jaw dropped open at the sheer amount of missed calls and messages. It would seem her parents, Alya, and Nino were all looking for her and she felt a sliver of guilt at having made them worry. She opened the text messages first, opening Alya’s thread as it was the one with the most messages. The first few were fairly relaxed, getting progressively more worried as Marinette continued to fail to answer, something that almost never happened. Although not as glued to her phone as the aspiring reporter, Marinette was usually quick to respond to texts.

**[ Hey, did you make it home? ]**

**[ Ik ur prbly mad @ me & Nino but u kno we luv u right? ]**

**[ Marinette? ]**

**[ Mari, srsly, how mad r u? Scale 1-10? ]**

**[ ???? ]**

**[ C’mon Mari… u cnt b mad @ me 4ever ]**

**[ K, Mari, this isn’t funny… ]**

**[ Marinette, answer ur phone! ]**

**[ Okay, Okay… I’m sorry for ditching you… ]**

**[ Come on, Mari… I’m starting to worry… ]**

**[ Marinette Dupain-Cheng, if I find out you’re lying in a ditch somewhere I swear on all things holy I will end you! ]**

 

The texts basically got more frantic from there but Marinette chose not to read all of them and instead moved on to check the messages from her parents and Nino. They were considerably more tame than Alya’s freakout.

 

**[ Mari, it’s Nino. Alya is freaking out. Let us know ur not dead pls? ]**

**[ Marinette, darling, are you okay? Papa and I are getting worried… ]**

**[ Honey, please call us when you get this ]**

 

Marinette sighed, this one much less happy than her earlier one, and started typing a response to her friends and family when her phone started buzzing with an incoming phone call… from Alya. Glancing at the sleeping form beside her, Marinette rose gingerly and moved across the room before accepting the call and lifting it tentatively to her ear. She didn’t get a chance to say anything before Alya’s voice nearly shattered her eardrums.

“MARINETTE DUPAIN-CHENG DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW WORRIED I HAVE BEEN!?!” Alya shrieked, forcing the dark-haired girl to hold the phone away from her ear less she go prematurely deaf. “I HAVE BEEN CALLING AND TEXTING FOR HOURS. WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU!?”

“Alya, calm down. I’m fine,” Marinette tried to soothe her. Not that it actually did any good. If anything her efforts only infuriated her protective friend.

“The hell is wrong with you, Dupain-Cheng? Don’t tell me to calm down, I thought you were dead,” she hissed, somehow managing to drop her voice to a much more bearable level.

“I know, Alya, I’m _sorry_. I just woke up,” she apologized, pinching the bridge of her nose. She could feel a headache beginning to build up behind her eyes.

“Just woke up? JUST WOKE UP!? You didn’t even come home last night, Marinette!” Aaaaand back to the shrieking it was.

“Thank you, Captain Obvious. If you’re quite done trying to destroy my hearing…?” She asked dryly. The other line grew silent for a moment before her friend released a breathy sigh.

“Okay, okay… but you owe me a huge explanation, Marinette. What happened last night?” Alya finally said in a much more even tone. Marinette bit her lip, hesitating, as she glanced at the prone form behind her.

“I will tell you everything, I promise, but not right now. And before you yell and protest… can you meet me at our cafe in thirty minutes?”

“I’ll be there in 20,” Alya said, and before Marinette could say anything else, the line went dead. Somehow, Adrien was still completely passed out on the bed. How anyone could have slept through the banshee cries that her friend had just emitted through her phone speaker was beyond her, but hell if she didn’t envy his ability to sleep through what basically amounted to world war III in her friend’s mind… Marinette shook her head hurried across the room to pull her dress back on. She grabbed her purse and shoes before pausing to glance at the prone form still sprawled out on the bed. Adrien was sinfully handsome, and for a moment she wished she could stay longer. On more than one occasion, Alya had pointed out that morning after sex was even better than the original sex. Marinette had never been certain what distinguished the two from each other besides the timing… but suddenly she very much wanted to find out. Unfortunately, if she wasn’t at the Cafe within the next thirty minutes, there would certainly be hell to pay. With one last backward glance, the dark-haired girl slipped from the room and down the hall to begin her walk of shame.

 

“You. _You_ lost your virginity? To a complete and total _stranger_!?” Alya asked incredulously. Marinette nodded, fidgeting with the coffee cup in her hands as she flashed her friend a sheepish grin. It had been forty-five minutes, give or take, since she had left the hotel room to meet up with Alya. True to her word, her friend had arrived before her, dragging the raven-haired girl into a spine-crushing hug the second she had stepped into the little coffee shop. Coffees had been ordered, a table in the back corner commandeered, and of course, the first question out of Alya’s mouth was…

“Okay, spill. Whose world did you rock last night?” Alya had grinned impishly at her best friend, hazel eyes twinkling with mirth. The question was meant to be a joke because everyone who knew sweet, innocent Marinette Dupain-Cheng knew she would never dream of sleeping with a stranger. It wasn’t in her nature. Marinette was all cupcakes and rainbows and idealistic fantasies about being swept off her feet by Prince Charming. Alya had fully expected her to blush and stutter and wave her hands frantically as she was wont to do… and Marinette _did_ blush. But she didn’t stutter or squeak or gesticulate frantically. She smiled shyly, she ducked her head, and she let the silence stretch on, and on, and on until… “You _didn’t_.”

“I _did_ ,” Marinette whispered, a dopey smile sliding across her face. Alya stared, shell-shocked.

“ _WHAT_!?”

“Al~ya, keep your voice down,” Marinette complained, sliding down in her seat self-consciously as people turned to glance curiously at their table.

“Okay okay… but I have questions,” Alya said, dropping her voice and arching a brow. “Who is he and how did you meet?”

“His name is Adrien, and I met him at the club last night.”

“Last name?”

“I… I don’t know…” At this, Marinette grimaced.

“No, but seriously, Mari. You. _You_ lost your virginity to a complete and total stranger!?” Aly couldn’t help but confirm, half expecting her friend to bust up laughing at her elaborate joke. Marinette did _not_ laugh. Instead, she shrugged awkwardly and nodded. Looking up, she was surprised to see a look of utter joy and satisfaction plastered across her best friend’s face. She canted her head, like an inquisitive kitten, at the shit-eating grin that stretched her friend’s face wondering what, exactly, the other girl found so damn great.

“My little girl is growing up,” Alya crooned, leaping up and embracing her friend with a mixture of affection and pride lacing her voice. When she pulled back, there was an eager look on her face. “So, when are you seeing each other again!?”

Marinette’s face fell. Her hands fidgeted. She stared at her lap as across from her, Alya facepalmed, already guessing what her friend was going to say. “I- I forgot to leave him my number,” the ravenette wailed dejectedly. The auburn haired girl patted her friend reassuringly on the shoulder and wisely changed the subject. By the time they parted ways, two hours later, Marinette was feeling a bit better. She still regretted not leaving a number, but she reasoned that perhaps it was for the best. For all she knew, she and Adrien might have nothing more in common than sexual attraction. Besides, even if there was something more between him, she didn’t have time for a relationship. Between school and work, she already had very little time for friends let alone a relationship.

The rest of the day passed in a relative blur. Marinette stopped at the apartment she shared with Alya and Nino to shower and change before heading to the Dupain-Cheng bakery. Although she didn’t work there full time anymore, Marinette still covered shifts from time to time when it was busy and Sunday afternoons were always fairly busy. It didn’t help that her parents had several large deliveries to make and needed someone capable of running the cash register while they were gone. Ultimately, however, work was uneventful and most of the time Marinette spent ruminating in her thoughts.

 

 _Marinette’s breath hitched as Adrien’s hands ghosted up her inner thighs. When his mouth followed the same path, she stopped breathing altogether. Her heart thudded so loudly, she feared the man between her legs could hear it. She wanted this, wanted_ him _, but at the same time, there was fear, nervousness. At twenty-one, she was as innocent as they come. Sure, she’d been kissed. And yeah, she had participated in some heavy make-out sessions, some of which had included clumsy, lust-induced pawing… mostly on her partners’ part. That being said, Marinette had never actually had sex. She wasn’t an idiot. She knew the logistics of sex. She knew it was a perfectly natural act; she knew it wasn’t always about love. More often than not it was about lust and at her age, one night stands were technically_ normal. _Maybe not normal for her, but for a lot of people her age? Sure. Before she had started dating Nino, Alya had participated in plenty of one night stands and had taken great pleasure in scandalizing poor Marinette with all the sordid details._

_Marinette gasped, jarred from her thoughts and arching up involuntarily as Adrien nipped lightly at the too-sensitive skin of her inner thigh. He looked up, green eyes darkened with longing. That look alone was enough to cause heat to pool at her untouched core. Crawling back up her body, Adrien claimed her mouth in a searing kiss that caused her head to spin and her stomach (among other things) to clench with a barely understood need. “I want you,” he murmured against her lips. Marinette opened her mouth to reply when-_

 

“Marinette!” Sabine Cheng’s worried face suddenly filled Marinette’s vision and the girl jumped, startled from her lust-filled thoughts to blink awkwardly at her mother.

“Y-yes, _Maman_ ,” she squeaked, blushing a deep red under the older woman’s appraising look.

“Don’t you have class in fifteen minutes?” Sabine asked, a slight frown on her face. She was rather used to her daughter’s flightiness but today the young woman seemed even more spaced out than normal. After the disappearing act, she had pulled last night that had caused Alya to nearly bust down the bakery door that morning, it was a little concerning. Confused, the young ravenette glanced at the clock behind her mother’s head. The sound that she emitted from her mouth was some odd cross between a yelp, a shriek, and a gasp. It… was not a pleasant noise.

“Is it that time already!?” The girl cried, straightening up with a look of alarm.

“Go on, dear. Your Papa and I can handle things from here,” she assured, pushing aside her concern to smile at the girl. After all, she had been twenty-one once.  She knew that if her daughter needed to talk to her, she would. Until then, there was little point in pressing her.

“Thanks, _Maman_ ,” Marinette gave her a quick hug, shirked her apron, and grabbed her book bag as she raced out the door. At some point during her lust-induced memories, evening had fallen over Paris. Foot traffic wasn’t exactly heavy at this time of evening, as most people were only just getting off work. There were, however, couples and groups of friends milling about window shopping leisurely on their way to dinner or the movies or wherever else they might be headed. The dark-haired girl might have paused to envy them if she weren’t already on the verge of being late. She weaved her way through the thin crowded, darting down side streets and around corners in her effort to make it on time to class for once. Which she did, although just barely. Her university was luckily only a few short blocks from the bakery, and Marinette managed to arrive a few minutes before the teacher did, much to her relief.

The class was silent for the most part, save for the murmur of whispered conversations and the scratch of pencils on paper. Marinette drummed her fingers on the desk, gaze fixed on the door as she awaited the teacher. She wasn’t currently working on any new designs, so she left her sketchpad in her bag. Her tablemate was noticeably absent, so that left her with no one to talk to either. The sooner the teacher arrived, the better… but she knew from experience that the teacher could be extremely late at times. Once she showed up thirty minutes late. It was why Marinette almost never got in trouble for being late to this class. The teacher was usually ten times worse. Not wanting to twiddle her thumbs idly while she waited, she instead decided a bit of light reading might help the time pass quicker.

Being a class dedicated to the fine art of designing clothes, there was always a small pile of the latest fashion magazines sitting on each desk and Marinette plucked one from the pile at random. Her eyes flickered over the title. _La Mode_ Magazine. When she had been in high school, it had been one of her favorites. She had read their articles almost religiously. Marinette flipped to a page at random and began to read. She only got a paragraph read before she groaned and flipped to the next page. Unlike her teenage self, she wasn’t super interested in tabloid-quality articles that held no real truth behind the words. It was all slander. Instead, she opted to focus her attention on the fashion, leafing through the pages and studying dresses and suits and custom-fit jeans until… she flipped the page and froze.

Green eyes stared back at her from a grinning face as the model posed, white button-up shirt hanging open to reveal a well-muscled chest. He had one hand just above his hip, fingers splayed, while the other was behind his neck as he leaned back against a red brick wall. Marinette swallowed hard. Her palms sweat. Her throat tightened. Now she knew why he looked so familiar. Her mystery guy was a model. Not just any model either. He was Adrien _freaking_ Agreste, supermodel extraordinaire, former teen heartthrob that she had more or less spent the better part of her youth pining and lusting after. She had had sex… with Adrien _freaking_ Agreste. Someone kill her now…

 

**Three Months Later**

_“Fuuuuuuck meeeeee_ ,” Marinette moaned dejectedly, hugging the toilet bowl like her life depended on it.

“As enticing as that offer is, I think I’ll pass.” Alya’s tone was joking, but the concern in her eyes was very real. It was four in the morning and for the fourth time that week alone, she had awoken to find her best friend in a blubbering puddle of puke and tears on the bathroom floor.

“Shut u-” Marinette broke off, surging up to her knees as her stomach heaved and what little food she had left in her stomach was emptied into the porcelain bowl. When she was fairly certain she wasn’t going to throw up anymore, she rose and moved to the sink to wash her mouth out. Alya watched her from the doorway, for once silent. Which was weird, because normally her friend would be cracking some joke about how terrible she looked. Skin pale and clammy, dark bags under her eyes, she _did_ look terrible. In fact, she strongly resembled a corpse. And not the pretty, animated ones like Sally from _A Nightmare Before Christmas._ This was more like _The Walking Dead_ type of corpse. Drying her face, Marinette turned and gave a weak smile.

“Do I look as pretty as I feel?” She asked; if Alya wasn’t going to joke about this, then _she_ would because the alternative was crawling into a hole and crying her eyes out. Rather than laugh, her friend sighed.

“Marinette, it’s time,” she said, far gentler than she had ever sounded before.

“No. No, I just have some weird bug, Alya. You’re overreacting,” the raven-haired girl protested, a hint of panic entering her blue eyes. Alya gave her an unconvinced look and shook her head.

“Marinette, you’ve been puking almost nonstop for the past two months. You’re eating more than normal and you even admitted that your period is extremely late… you _need_ to take the test.” She sighed as her friend shook her head frantically. The girl was in utter denial.

“No, _no_ , I can’t be pregnant I- I _can’t_ be!” Now it sounded more like she was pleading than anything else. Alya felt bad for her friend, but if she had to be the voice of reason in this, she would be.

“Take the test. There’s no harm in just making sure, right?” She pressed, and she sensed more than saw her friend’s resolve wavering. “Please, Marinette. If for no other reason than for my peace of mind.”

Marinette hesitated, chewing on her lip. She knew Alya was right. When she had slept with Adrien Agreste three months ago, they hadn’t used protection.That, coupled with the fact that her period was over two months late, very likely meant she was pregnant. She simply didn’t want to believe it. In the past three months, she had gone back and forth on whether to contact Adrien or not. Ultimately, she had decided against it. Adrien was a model. He was rich, he was from an affluent family, and he could literally have any girl he wanted. She was a baker’s daughter. Her family wasn’t poor, but they weren’t rich by any means. Marinette was a poor college student, struggling to pay bills by working for her parents’ while she got through school. She was hardly the type of girl Adrien Agreste would date, much less marry. He was, put simply, better off without her. She had come to terms with that; she had more or less moved on. That’s why she absolutely could _not_ be pregnant. Then again… Alya probably knew what she was talking about, seeing as she had recently discovered _she_ was pregnant.

“Marinette, we need to be _sure_ ,” Alya whispered, placing the bag of unused pregnancy tests on the counter. She had bought them almost three weeks ago when she had discovered Marinette on the bathroom floor the first time. Marinette looked at the bag. She looked at Alya. Her eyes closed, denials springing to the tip of her tongue, but in the end, she just nodded silently as tears tracked down her cheeks. Alya left as silently as she had come, closing the door to give the distraught girl her privacy. Thirty minutes later, Marinette confirmed what she had secretly already known. She was very much pregnant.

 

**Two Weeks Later**

Marinette yawned, running her hand over her face as if she could physically wipe the sleep from her eyes. In the two weeks since discovering she was pregnant, she had barely slept. Appointments had been set, her parents had been told, and decisions had been made. She had opted to keep the babies. That’s right. _Babies._ She was having twins. Regardless of how daunting that might be, she had never believed in abortion, at least not as a viable option for herself, and the thought of someone else raising her future children left a bad taste in her mouth and a hollow feeling in her heart. No, she had made a mistake and these babies weren’t going to suffer because of it. The young woman was sitting at the kitchen bar in her parents’ kitchen now, watching her mother as she cooked. To be honest, the raven-haired girl had mixed feelings about the food her mother was cooking. On the one hand, her stomach practically yowled with the need for sustenance. On the other hand, the smell of eggs cooking was making the bile in her throat rise dangerously.

At this point, it was anyone’s guess what Marinette could or couldn’t eat. Half the things she used to love, she found repulsive. Like Croissants. Who in their right mind found _croissants_ repulsive!? Meanwhile, things she used to hate with a passion had become her new favorite treat. The worst of her cravings had to be Anchovies and Peanut Butter. It was bizarre, it was disgusting, it had almost made Alya puke on several occasions… and yet her body insisted it was the best thing since sliced bread. Yaaaay pregnancy. Although to be completely fair, Alya wasn’t one to talk since she was Pregnant as well! At least chocolate was so far a very safe bet if the box of Chocolate Eclairs she had devoured earlier that morning was anything to go by.

Speaking of chocolate… she surreptitiously glanced around the kitchen but she was fairly certain her parents had already hidden anything chocolate related from sight. It was probably for the best. She was going to have a hard enough time removing the baby weight… she didn’t need to add a hundred pounds of chocolate cravings to that number. And yet… chocolate did sound really good right now…

“ _Maman_ ,” she began, a plaintive note entering her tone.

“I’m not telling you where the chocolate is, Marinette. You have to eat real food. Neither you or the twins can subsist on a diet of chocolate, anchovies, and peanut butter.” Sabine chuckled, shooting her daughter an amused look as the girl dropped her chin onto her folded arms and pouted. A knock on the door halted whatever she was about to say, however, and the women shared inquisitive looks. Marinette started to rise but was immediately waved off by her mother. Removing the eggs from the burner and wiping her hands on a hand towel, the small woman left the kitchen and hurried down the hall to open the door. On the other side stood a man and woman she didn’t recognize.

“Hello, may I help you?” She asked curiously.

“Yes. We are looking for a-” the woman paused to glance down at the tablet in her arms before looking back up again, “-a Marinette Dupain-Cheng. Her roommate informed us we could find her here?”

“May I ask what this is- oh… wait, I _know_ you,” Sabine leaned around the woman to give the man a narrow-eyed look. Up until now, he hadn’t spoken; hadn’t even looked up from his own tablet. He looked up now, however, one brow arching. “You’re Gabriel Agreste! My daughter is a big fan of your work.” Sabine beamed, barely noticing the lack of a smile on the man’s face as she ushered him inside and gestured towards the kitchen.

“Right this way; I am sure Marinette will be so surprised to see her idol here. Did she enter a contest or something? I don’t recall her saying anything about it but she’s always been a bit scatterbrained.” Sabine chattered happily as she led the man and woman back towards the kitchen. Marinette hadn’t moved from her slouched position in the time it took Sabine to answer the door, and she didn’t actually turn to look at their guests until her mother called for her attention. “Marinette, you have visitors,” she said, beaming as the girl shifted and turned, curious despite her exhaustion and hunger.

Marinette froze. Four months ago, having her idol standing in her living room would have made her swoon. The fact that her idol was also the grandfather of her unborn children, unfortunately, dampened her excitement quite a bit. Sabine, bless her soul, seemed blissfully unaware of the tension that suddenly filled the room, or the stricken and panicky expression on her daughter’s face as she turned the stove off and excused herself. An awkward silence followed, broken only by Marinette’s uneven breaths. It was the woman who broke the silence.

“Marinette Dupain-Cheng, I presume?” She asked, arching a brow expectantly. Marinette nodded mutely. “My name is Nathalie Sancoeur. Considering your current field of study, I assume you know Gabriel Agreste?”

“Y-yes… of course,” the girl squeaked out.

“Miss Dupain-Cheng, do you know why we’re here?” Nathalie asked. Relieved that she was able to answer honestly, Marinette shook her head ‘no’. After all, there was no way they could know she was pregnant when even Adrien didn’t.

“It has come to our attention, Miss Dupain-Cheng, that about four months ago you had - ahem - _relations_ with Adrien Agreste. Is that correct?”

“Um… Y-yes, ma’am.”

“And are you aware that Adrien has spent the last four months searching for you?” Nathalie asked, her tone never changing.

“W-what!?” Marinette shrieked, causing the other two in the room to wince as her voice nearly broke the sound barrier. Nathalie cleared her throat.

“I’ll take that as a no,” she said dryly.

“Um… if I may be so bold… why are you here?” Marinette asked, her voice dropping to a much lower volume.

“It would seem Adrien is completely smitten with you, Miss Dupain-Cheng.” Nathalie deadpanned, and from the twist of her lips, Marinette could tell that wasn’t a good thing in her books.

“O-kay…” Marinette said slowly, not exactly following where all this was going. Had they just come to tell her Adrien hadn’t stopped thinking about her? While that thought was enough to send a flutter through her stomach, it seemed like a lot of trouble to go through. And really, if they had discovered her identity so easily, why not just tell Adrien and let him decide what to do?

“Mr. Agreste is willing to pay you handsomely to ensure you _never_ seek Adrien out. Adrien is a very important young man with a promising career ahead of him. He can’t be allowed silly distractions,” Nathalie continued, apparently not realizing her mind had wandered. Her words brought Marinette screeching back to the here and now and she gapped at the pair like a fish desperate for water.

“I… I’m a silly distraction?” She asked blankly.

“Very much so, Miss Dupain-Cheng. Surely you can’t expect a young man of Adrien’s status to enter into a long-term relationship with a young lady of your… er… _social standings_?” Nathalie arched a brow as Marinette’s face burned with heat.

“Now, just wait a minute! Who gives you the right to look down on me just because I’m not as rich or powerful as _you_?” She spat, rising to glare at the pair. For a long moment, there was silence. Gabriel and Nathalie both stared at the girl and then slowly, their gazes slid down to her stomach. This time, it was Gabriel who spoke, his voice deceptively soft.

“Miss Dupain-Cheng, when you and my son had… _relations_ … you did act like responsible adults and used _protection_ , correct?” He asked quietly. Marinette scowled.

“No, Mr. Agreste. We did not. Still think hiding me from Adrien is a good idea?” she said it sarcastically, but she already had a feeling she knew what he was going to say. In a sense, she was right. He just took it a bit farther than expected.

“How much?” He deadpanned. The question threw Marinette off.

“H-How much?” She asked in confusion.

“How much do I have to pay you to destroy that… that _thing_ , Miss Dupain-Cheng?” His voice rose steadily until he was almost shouting. For a moment, Marinette couldn’t say anything. She was shocked. Angry. Horrified. This man was essentially asking-no, _demanding_ -she destroy his own flesh and blood. Looking at his face, she couldn’t see an ounce of remorse either. He was cold, calculating, and angry. How anyone as kind and gentle as Adrien could have come from _this_ was beyond her.

“Get out.” Marinette didn’t even register opening her mouth. Not until she heard herself speak. Nathalie and Gabriel both balked as if shocked that anyone might defy them. “Get. Out. Get the _FUCK_ out of my house!” Marinette hissed, glaring at the pair as rage seemed to encompass her whole being.

“Miss Dupain-Cheng, be reasonable-” Gabriel Agreste tried, but Marinette cut him off with a withering glance.

“You have two seconds to get out of my fucking house before I go public and tell the whole world that I’m carrying Adrien Agreste’s children,” she threatened.

“ _Children_?” Mr. Agreste asked slowly. Turning to face him fully, Marinette gave him a smile that was really just a baring of teeth. A snarl if you will.

“Yes. Children. The plural of child. Congrats Pops. You’re about to be the grandfather of _twins_!” She spat, silently relishing in the horror that crossed the man’s face. He was quick to compose himself.

“Miss Dupain-Cheng, I believe you fail to understand what this could do to my son. It could _ruin_ him if the Paparazzi were to get wind of this,” he said, the slightest hint of pleading entering his tone. “I will pay whatever sum you wish. All I ask is you… remove the problem.”

Marinette Dupain-Cheng had always considered her to be a calm person. In fact, most of the time she was usually a bit of a pushover. She was a giver, a people pleaser. She had been for as long as she could remember. She was _not_ the type to explode. To yell and shout and scream. But in that moment, she wanted to yell. She wanted to scream and shout and quite frankly, in that moment, she wasn’t above murder either. Because she really wanted to murder Gabriel Agreste and Nathalie Sancoeur and anyone else who _dared_ refer to her children as a _problem_ . Her lips thinned, her eyes narrowed, and her entire body _quaked_ with rage. Stupidly, Gabriel seemed to take her silence as her giving in, and he pulled his checkbook out and looked at her expectantly.

“Name your price, young lady.”

“How about your head on a platter, jackass.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adrienette Flirting and Cute Marinette x Babies Moments

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I must reeeaaally love you guys considering how quickly I got this chapter out. Please note, if you are following my other stories I am likely not going to update most of them anytime soon. Most of my muse is focused pretty solely on this story so I apologize. I am not abandoning them or anything I just don't want to put out crappy half-assed chapters so until my muse returns I am putting them on hold and focusing mainly on this one

**Present Day**

 

At 5 o’clock on the dot the next night, Marinette’s phone rang. It had been a rather uneventful day. The last of her new furniture had arrived and she had spent the day arranging and rearranging until she had finally gotten the apartment set up in such a way that maximized floor space while still being aesthetically pleasing. Emma and Louis were eating a simple dinner of Mac and Cheese and she almost let the call go to voicemail. Dinners had always been sacred to the young woman. It was a time to spend quality time with her children and normally she wouldn’t dream of disrupting that time to answer her phone. Something, however, urged her to pick it up nonetheless. Rising from the table, Marinette left her children to finish eating while she headed to the living room to scoop the phone off the coffee table. She didn’t recognize the number flashing on the screen but she was already up, so she answered anyway.

“Hello?” She said into the receiver after accepting the call.

“Marinette,” a familiar voice said. The girl froze, her breath hitching. How the hell did this man manage to make her _name_ sound so damn seductive?

“M-Mr. Agreste…I, um… How did you- Why are you- That is to say I… I never gave you my- m-my phone number,” she stuttered meekly, stating the obvious for some odd reason. Of course, he already knew that.

“Madam Lacrosse gave it to me. I-”

“Oh… Mr. Agreste, could you give me a moment?” Marinette suddenly said, cutting him off. On the other end of the line, Adrien stopped his nervous pacing in surprise. It wasn’t often that he had to wait for anything. He was the son of esteemed fashion tycoon Gabriel Agreste. Most people jumped to do his bidding. Perhaps that’s why he found Marinette to be so incredibly refreshing. A true breath of fresh air. On the other end of the line, he could hear muffled voices, as if she was covering the phone’s speaker. He couldn’t make out most of what she was saying but it sounded like she was telling someone she needed to step out. A friend? A _boy_ friend, perhaps? In reality, on the other end of the line, Marinette was addressing her children.

“Emma, Louie,” she called and their attention immediately shifted from their plates to their mother. “ _Maman_ has to take an important call. I’ll be out on the balcony if you need me, okay?” She said. The pair nodded and turned back to their food, effectively dismissing her as they once again launched into a heated debate about some kid show they were infatuated with. _Miraculous… something or other._ She couldn’t quite recall what it was called. It was some silly kids show she had never paid much attention to before. They mostly watched it when they were with Alya and Nino, as Marinette only turned on the tv on special occasions, like Saturday morning Disney marathons. She usually preferred the twins play with their toys than sit in front of the television. Shrugging, she stepped out onto the balcony, leaving the door open just enough that she could still hear the children if they needed anything. The night was pleasantly warm and she took a fortifying breath and leaned her arms against the railing before lifting the phone back to her ear.

“Mr. Agreste?” She asked, hating the nervous edge that laced her words. On the other end of the line, she heard a loud sigh.

“Call me Adrien,” he said, his voice a gentle command.

“No,” she immediately refused.

“Yes,” Adrien countered decisively.

“Not gonna happen,” Marinette drawled, lips tugging up into a small smile.

“ _Please?_ ” The man implored, and instantly the woman’s resolve began to waver.

“I don’t think-” She tried again before Adrien cut her off.

“ _Marinette_ , considering what happened between us I think we ought to be able to call each other by our first names. Especially considering I don’t know your last name.” His voice held a hint of amusement. Marinette fell silent and for a long moment, she didn’t say anything. Adrien was beginning to wonder if she had hung up on him when finally, she spoke.

“I- I’d rather not talk about that, Adrien,” she whispered. Adrien couldn’t help but smile at the timid way that she spoke his name. It was incredibly endearing.

“Eventually we will talk about it… _Princess_ ,” Adrien said, slyly. Marinette could almost hear the smile in her voice and that alone was enough to stretch her lips into a much wider grin.

“You sound so sure about that, _Agreste_ ,” she retorted. Yeah, she was totally teasing him now. What on earth was this world coming to? She should be avoiding him, not having borderline flirtatious phone calls with the man.

“I’m positive it will happen.”

“I’m not so sure about that…”

“Never say never,” he says, voice a low purr.

“Moving on…” Marinette rolled her eyes, but the smile playing at the corners of her mouth remained. That smile widened at the rich sound of the man’s laughter as it rumbled through the phone’s speakers.

“Marinette, has anyone ever told you that you’re an absolute delight?” Adrien asked, and the girl felt her heart give an involuntary flutter.

“I- no, I can’t say anyone ever has,” she squeaked, earning another laugh.

“That, my dear, is a crime against nature itself,” Adrien said firmly. The dark-haired girl blinked. Was he… was he actually _flirting_ with her? The idea was ludicrous. Adrien barely knew her. Sure, they had _slept_ together but that was years ago and she was certain she had read something a while back about him being engaged. No, she was totally imagining things. She was totally going crazy here. She was-

“Marinette?” She jumped at the sound of her name and flushed when she realized she had no idea what he had asked her.

“Eh… what was that?” She asked awkwardly. She was rewarded by the sound of his laugh once again filling the line.

“I _said_ did you think about my proposition?” He asked, laughter still lacing his voice. The young woman couldn’t help it. She found another smile tugging up her lips as she listened to him. Adrien had an infectious laugh.

“About talking about what happened between us or about last night?” She quipped playfully. She couldn’t say exactly what came over her. Perhaps subconsciously she wanted to hear him laugh again? Either way, the words were out before she could stop them. The line fell silent for a moment before-

“Marinette, are you _flirting_ with me? That’s not very professional, you know,” Adrien suddenly said, sounding thoroughly scandalized. Marinette balked, eyes widening. Had _she_ been flirting with _him_!?

“W-what!? No! N-no. I was just- That is to say- I mean I wasn’t-” She broke off as, on the other end of the line, Adrien Agreste roared with laughter. She blinked, realization dawning. A scowl settled on her face, furrowed her brow, and caused heat to burn across her cheeks. He had been teasing her!?!

“You- you're a horrible person, Adrien Agreste,” she accused, glad that he couldn’t see her face. From the heat radiating off her skin, she was fairly certain she was red as a tomato. The man’s laughter was slow to die down but she couldn’t bring herself to care. Such a warm, welcome sound.

“I know. I’m pawful,” he deadpanned.

“Di- did you just _pun_ at me!?” She was back to squeaking again.

“I think… I did,” Adrien said, sounding almost as surprised as she was.

“I’m going to hang up on you now,” Marinette threatened, shaking her head in despair. The man had just made a _cat pun._ What even was the world coming too?

“NO! No, Mari, please… I’ll stop,” he said, although Marinette was fairly certain he was biting back laughter again. She rolled her eyes, but the smile on her face refused to diminish. There was something about speaking to Adrien, about _flirting_ with him which she grudgingly had to admit was what they were doing at this point, that made her feel like a teenager again.

“On a more serious note… will you join me on this project, Marinette? It won’t be the same without you. Pretty please, Mari? I _need_ you,” Adrien implored, his voice soft and earnest. Marinette could have swooned right then and there if not for what he was asking her. Granted, he had no idea why an aspiring designer such as she might have reservations about working with the infamous Gabriel Agreste. He didn’t know that she had met his father before… on several occasions actually… and that none of them had ended amicably. It was hard to like someone who had blatantly told you to terminate your pregnancy. It was even harder to idolize that person. No, she had stopped idolizing Gabriel Agreste six years ago when he had called his own grandchildren ‘things’ and ‘problems’. She had stopped idolizing him when he had offered to pay her to essentially kill her unborn children. Did she want to be around him again? That was a resounding no. And yet… the fact remained that Gabriel Agreste was one of the best Fashion Designers in all of Europe. Although she’d much prefer to continue working with Tara, moving Emma and Louie halfway across the world simply wasn’t possible. Not right now, anyway. As much as it pained her to say, if she had any hope for a career in fashion, Gabriel Agreste was her best bet. So in the end, there really was only answer.

“Yes. I accept your proposition, Adrien. I’d… I’d like to work with you on this project,” she finally said when the laughter had died down and the silence threatened to stretch into eternity.

“I’ll see you tomorrow then? I can have a car pick you up. Just text me the address,” he said, voice taking on a slightly more serious note.

“Alright. Tomorrow it is. Um… I should go,” she said, choosing not to dwell on the ache that immediately filled her heart. Talking to Adrien felt so easy. So natural and she didn’t like how much she wanted to continue talking, flirting, and bantering with him. This was a dangerous game to play and she knew it.

“R-right. Goodnight, Marinette,” Adrien said softly, and it was hard to tell but she thought she heard a hint of sadness in his words as well.

“Goodnight, Adrien.”

  


The next morning found Marinette in a rather dour mood. After hanging up with Adrien, she had spent the rest of the evening relaxing on the couch with a glass of wine while watching Emma and Louie play with their toys on the floor. At 8 PM, the twins had been put to bed and Marinette had settled in to half-heartedly watch a movie. By 10 PM, she was in bed but by 4 AM, she was still very much awake. No matter how she tossed or turned, sleep eluded the young woman. Slumber claimed her briefly between the hours of 4:45 and 6:20, but when she was roused by Louis crawling into her bed with her, she gave up all pretenses of sleep and instead settled on stroking the child’s silky blonde hair. She was able to coax Louie back to sleep, never ceasing her ministrations on his soft mop of hair. Both the woman and the child seemed to find the lazy movements to be soothing. They were joined in bed by Emma at 7:30, the three curling up together beneath the warmth of the blankers, and by 8 AM, Marinette was rousing her children to wakefulness to get them ready for school. Currently, the twins only attended half-day Kindergarten. They started at 11 AM, and she usually picked them up at 3 PM.

The twins were quiet that morning, perhaps sensing their mother’s exhaustion as the young woman desperately downed an entire pot of coffee before bothering to hop in the shower. The hot water helped, somewhat reviving the raven-haired woman from her sleepless night so that when she stepped from the shower she was her usual bubbly self. After that, their morning commenced like most did in the Dupain-Cheng household. Marinette danced around the kitchen with Louie as they sang loudly and wholly off-key to Jagged Stone. A breakfast of chocolate chip pancakes and fresh squeezed orange juice was prepared, jokes were made, and laughs were had. Not for the first time, Marinette Dupain-Cheng smiled to herself and rejoiced in the life she currently led. Sure, things were rarely ever perfect. Often her life was the very definition of chaos. And yet, she was blessed with two beautiful, unique, and utterly amazing children and that she couldn’t regret. Idly, she pondered what her life might have been like if she had conceded with Gabriel Agreste’s demands. She imagined life would have been a lot easier… but she also guessed it would have been a lot more drab and joyless. The word bleak came to mind. Eventually, breakfast was eaten, dishes were washed, the kitchen was restored to order, and the trio reluctantly changed from their pajamas into their day clothes.

Emma Dupain-Cheng, already a bit of a girly girl like her mother had been at her age, wore a pretty black shirt emblazoned with a sparkly rainbow heart over bright pink jeans and ballet flats. Louis, very much a typical five-year-old boy,  wore blue jeans and a Batman-themed shirt (his current favorite superhero) and a pair of beat-up sneakers that were honestly more duct tape than shoe at this point… she would need to buy him a new pair soon but he was so attached to them, she didn’t have the heart to do so until absolutely necessary... Marinette opted for a black jacket over a white camisole and dark washed skinny jeans. Professional, simple, and still somewhat elegant. For footwear, she decided on a pair of simple, strappy heels that added three inches to her diminutive height. She was a short woman and at least when she wore heels, she didn’t feel quite like everyone was looking down upon her.

As the clock struck 10:30, Marinette ushered her children out of the apartment door, locking it behind her. In one hand, she carried their backpacks. The other hand was wrapped around Louis’ hand. Emma was happy to bounce a few steps ahead of her mother and brother. Alya had offered to take them to school when she picked up Micah, who attended the morning Kindergarten class, but Marinette had declined. Her best friend would already be picking them up after school so that Marinette and Adrien could get a bit of headway on planning their project. Besides, the walk to the elementary school was a short one. It was only three blocks away and it was a beautiful day. It was unusually warm for the time of year and as the trio stepped outside they were greeted by a cloudless blue sky. Marinette had already texted Adrien that morning, asking that the car pick her up in an hour. That would give her plenty of time to walk the kids to school and return home before the car arrived. As they walked, Emma chattered almost incessantly, asking a nearly endless stream of questions.

“Mama, why are the leaves orange?” Emma asked, pausing to glance over her shoulder at her mother. The young mother smiled indulgently.

“Leaves change color in the Fall, love,” Marinette explained.

“But why?” Emma frowned before continuing to skip ahead.

“They’re getting ready for winter, darling.”

“Do _we_ have to change color in the winter?”

“No, Emma. We aren’t leaves. But we do have to wear warmer clothes in the winter,” Marinette chuckled lightly.

“Kind of like how animals get thicker fur?” Louis suddenly asked from beside her. The ravenette looked down, slightly thrown off by the question, before nodding. It was a wonder really, why she was always so surprised when Louis said something that far surpassed his age group. She assumed it was because her son was so quiet. Rather than add to the conversations around him, he listened quite intently and because of this picked things up much faster than most his age.

“That’s right, _Mon cœur_ ,” she nodded and Louis beamed a wide, toothy grin. The rest of the short walk went much the same. Emma would ask questions, Marinette would answer, and occasionally Louis would offer his own unique brand of input or an astute observation few five-year-olds had the capacity or intelligence to make. It was as they were drawing close to the school that the little boy’s demeanor began to shift. His smile faded considerably, worry lurked in his eyes, and his hand tightened around his mother’s. The crossing guard waved for them to cross the street and although the child continued walking, his movements had become almost robotic. Unfortunately, it was like this almost every morning. At the entrance of the school, Marinette scooped Emma into her arms for a massive hug, peppering the girl’s face with kisses as she squealed in joyful protest. When she set the Emma down, the girl gave one last wave and immediately raced over to join a small group of other little girls. The group accepted her with open arms and excited squeals.

It was interesting, watching her daughter interact with others. Emma had a gravitational personality, and it showed in how she immediately became the focal point of her friend group. The other children seemed to surround her, each vying for her attention as she giggled and joked. She was so comfortable, so totally in her element here. She was so unlike Marinette when she had been that age. Marinette hadn’t been as shy as Louis, but she had been nowhere near as outgoing as Emma and had lingered on the outside of her friend group, more content to watch than participate. Speaking of Louis… Marinette turned to the boy who had since released her hand and now had his arms wrapped around her leg as he eyed the children playing in the schoolyard warily. “Louie, are you going to be okay today?” Marinette carefully extracted herself from the child’s grip and crouched until they were eye to eye. She hated seeing his blue eyes so wide with worry and fear.

“I don’t want you to leave,” the child said plaintively. Not normally one to complain, he looked down in embarrassment at his request. Marinette used one hand to gently coax his chin up so that their blue eyes once again met.

“I know, _Mon caneton_ , but I have to go to work,” she said apologetically. It almost killed her, the way his eyes immediately teared up. Even as a baby, Louis had never been a social child. Getting him to attend daycare had been hard enough, and it was fortunate at the time that she had been working with either Tara or her parents throughout most of that time. Bringing him to work had been a non-issue. Working with Adrien, however, that simply wasn’t a possibility and she nearly teared up herself when her son voiced the question she could see swimming in his bluebell eyes.

“Can I go with you, Mama? Just for today?”

“I wish you could, _bébé_ , but I’m not working with Auntie Tara today,” she whispered, hating the way his gaze dropped, his shoulders slumped, and his lips quivered. Her heart physically hurt and not for the first time, she wondered if there was a reason the child wanted nothing to do with school. “Louie, is someone bothering you at school? Because if someone’s bothering you, I can help you. I can talk to your teacher,” she said, trying to catch his eye. Louis shook his head violently.

“No, I- I just want to be with _you_ ,” the child whined. Marinette didn’t entirely believe him, but she knew Louis and if he didn’t want to talk about something, there was little she could do. He was as stubborn as she was.

“Alright, Louie. But you’ll tell me if someone _does_ bother you, right?”

“Yes, Mama,” Louis lifted his gaze to give his mother a small, somewhat forced smile that didn’t reach his big blue eyes.

“That’s my good boy. Try to make some friends today, alright, _Mon caneton_?” Marinette brushed the blonde hair from his forehead and planted a kiss on the skin there. She followed that by kissing each cheek in turn and finally ended with a kiss on the tip of his nose. By the time she had finished, Louis was giggling, his face relaxing from it’s earlier apprehension. When she presented her own cheek, the boy was quick to give his mother a kiss before wrapping his arms around her neck and burying his face in her strawberry scented hair. That alone was almost enough to break the young woman into whisking him away from the school but no… self-preservation reminded her that she had no desire to have him around Gabriel Agreste or… Adrien. Adrien Agreste, who had no idea he was a father.

Eventually, Marinette managed to extract herself from the boy’s hold and rose, taking his hand and leading him to where his teacher stood. Miss Colette smiled fondly and offered her hand to the child. He glanced up at his mother forlornly but made no more protest as he released her hand and took Miss Colette’s instead. Marinette couldn’t help but linger, watching the woman lead the silent child to class. Eventually, she would get to the bottom of why her son hated school so much; she was certain it wasn’t just because he was painfully shy. No, there had to be more to the story. For now, however, she had to hurry back to the apartment building before the car arrived.

  


For the first time in ages, Adrien Agreste awoke with a smile on his face. A smile that had nothing to do with the blonde woman in his bed and everything to do with a certain dark-haired beauty who had plagued his thoughts since their conversation last night. The fact that she had texted him early that morning with an address and time for pick up surely had nothing to do with the wide grin on his face as he rose from his bed and made his way towards the shower. It was barely eight in the morning and as usual, Chloe was dead to the world. He was fairly certain that Chloe Bourgeois hadn’t gotten out of bed before noon since their high school days. He kept his shower brief, pulling on low-slung jeans and a pale green button-up shirt when he was finished. For the next few hours, he had little to do that required his attention and he almost wished he could text Marinette and see if she could come over sooner. He didn’t want to push his luck though, so instead, he headed down to the kitchen.

If the kitchen staff were surprised to see Adrien, they did a good job of hiding it. The head chef politely inquired as to whether he wanted something delivered to his bedroom but the blonde was quick to decline. He was already down here, after all. It seemed silly to have them send it all the way up to his bedroom. After some debate on his part, an omelet was prepared and Adrien, loathe to eat alone in the empty dining room, leaned against the kitchen island and chatted with the cooks while he ate. It took them a few minutes to open up, but soon they were all talking and laughing and it felt good. There hadn’t been true, genuine laughter since his mother had disappeared over a decade ago. It was interesting learning about the house staff as well. Most of the Kitchen Staff had only worked there for a few years, but some of the older cooks had been working there since long before his mother had gone missing. The head chef, in particular, was only too happy to regale the younger man with stories of Mrs. Agreste.

It was nearing 10 o’clock when a crash and a curse in the hallway disrupted the story Cornelius, the Head Chef, had been telling. Adrien shoved off the counter and curiously went to investigate. What he found made him sigh, and he was quick to remove the small potted plant the woman was currently aiming at his cat. The cat was sitting serenely beside what appeared to be another potted plant, licking one paw absentmindedly as if he had nary a care in the world. Adrien arched a brow at his fiancee as he set the plant aside.”Chloe… why are you trying to murder my cat?” He was rather proud at how calm he sounded. The blonde woman sneered and cast a baleful glare at the cat in question. Plagg returned the look tenfold.

“Your mangy fleabag tore up my favorite cashmere sweater, Adrien!” She spat, and the fact that she had used his actual name was proof of her anger.

“Chloe, he’s a cat. He doesn’t know any better,” he tried to soothe her, but she shrugged away from the hand he placed on her shoulder and scowled.

“That stupid cat of yours knows exactly what he was doing! I mean, look at him!” She growled, pointing an accusing finger at the creature in question. Adrien bit back a laugh. Smug bastard. Plagg was totally preening right now. Yeah, the cat totally knew what he had done and he seemed damn pleased with himself.

“Okay, but Chloe, you can’t kill my cat. Tell you what, take my credit card, and you can go shopping today. Buy whatever you want,” he suggested. He knew he would likely regret this later on but, at the same time, it would get her out of the house for the day. Chloe was the jealous type and if she caught wind that he was working with another woman today, she would be glued to his side. More than one of his female clients had been driven off that way.

“ _Whatever_ I want?” Chloe asked, perking up immediately.

“Whatever you want, Chloe,” Adrien confirmed, biting back a grimace. This one would be hard to explain to his father.

“Oh, Adrikiins, you’re the best!” Chloe threw her arms around his neck and kissed him soundly before flouncing away. The fact she didn’t even notice that Adrien hadn’t even attempted to return the kiss was not lost on him but perhaps that was for the best. He wasn’t keen on her asking questions he wasn’t ready to answer. Sighing, he turned to the cat with a glare.

“If I go bankrupt, I’m blaming you.”


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Adrienette and MariChat happens (you'll see what I mean lmao) and in which Marinette is a terrifying force of nature when it comes to protecting her babies.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, NOT WHERE I WAS GOING WITH THIS CHAPTER!!! I swear this fic has a mind of its own. I legitimately have no control. I plan out a chapter and then it just completely branches out. Like tf

Louis Dupain-Cheng slid further down in his seat, blue gaze glued to the clock above the classroom doorway. As he watched, the digital clock clicked over to read 1 o’clock and immediately a bell shrilled through the building. The boy jolted and quickly glanced around surreptitiously to ensure no one had seen him startle. The other students paid him no mind as they packed their schoolwork away and began lining up. Dread filled the child. It was recess time, and while most five-year-olds would jump at the chance to run around outside, Louis  _ hated  _ recess with a passion. He would much rather sit in the classroom with a book but Miss Colette insisted he go outside play with the other children.  _ Yeah, like that will ever happen. _ They all thought he was weird because he didn’t talk as much as Emma, and because he was smaller than the other boys in class. Glancing across the room, he could see his sister talking animatedly with Nina Laurent, her best friend. Watching the two girls, it made him wish  _ his _ best friend were there. Unfortunately, Martin Lahiffe attended the morning classes.

The sound of footsteps approaching his desk in the back corner of the room jarred him from his thoughts and made him look up from where he had unknowingly dropped his gaze. Emma grinned down at him as she came to a halt by the edge of his desk. By this point, the room was almost empty. Only the Twins, Miss Colette, and a few other students lingered. The black haired girl extended her hand expectantly, a lopsided grin curving her lips. “Come on, Louie. You can come play with Nina and me,” she offered, and Louis glanced behind her to where the brunette was standing awkwardly. Like most of their classmates, Nina thought he was a bit weird, he could tell, but she hid it better than most. He assumed it had to do with her friendship with Emma. Either way, he wasn’t planning on pointing it out to his sister. Instead, he met her green eyes and gave her his most confident grin. “No, you and Nina go ahead. I’m just going to read.” A quick glance at Nina confirmed what he already knew. She looked immensely relieved.

“Are you sure, Louie? That doesn’t sound like much fun,” Emma said, hesitant at leaving her brother. He nodded with as much enthusiasm as he could muster.

“I’m sure, Emma. Go have fun,” Louis beamed brightly and, after giving him one last look, Emma turned away. He watched as she spoke quietly to Nina before the two darted out of the classroom, giggling. The second they were gone, his smile fell and with a sigh, he shoved his chair back, grabbed his book, and hopped up. The child exited the classroom, glad that by now the school hallways were almost completely empty. A few stragglers remained, but like Louis, they were mostly loner type kids who kept to themselves. The boy meandered his way towards the schoolyard, knowing full well that if he attempted to find a room to hide out in, he would only get yelled at. The teachers here seemed pretty adamant that the students get their fresh air. One would think they would appreciate a kid who seemed more interested in reading or studying but apparently not.

Reaching the end of the hall, Louis reluctantly pushed through the heavy double doors. Outside, a cacophony of shrieks and giggles could be heard as students raced around the playground equipment. Louis paused, watching them for a moment. They all seemed so happy and excited. Scanning the play yard, he couldn’t immediately spot Emma. No doubt she was playing tag or hide and seek with her friends though. Turning, Louis stuck close to the wall of the building as he skirted the playground. Occasionally children would rush past him causing him to pause and watch them warily until they had passed on. Eventually, he found a quiet alcove out of sight of the playground equipment. Here, it was secluded and the noise of his fellow students seemed muted somehow. Louis sat, back against the wall, and settled the book in his lap. It was one of his favorites; a book called  _ The Little Prince _ . The book was old and tattered from years of use. It had been his mother’s, and before her, it had been her father’s, and his father’s before him. His mother had been reading him the book for as long as he could remember. It was the first book he had learned to read from and whenever he was feeling particularly down, he would often pull it from the shelf.

Opening the book to the first page, he trailed his fingers over the familiar words and pictures. With a smile he began to read, silently mouthing the words as he went. He had probably been reading for fifteen minutes when a shadow fell over the page, making it difficult for him to see the words. Looking up, he was startled to find a girl standing before him. Louis’ heart quickened, his palms began to sweat, and with a startled yelp he leaped to his feet. The girl was a few inches taller than he was. Her long red hair hung over her shoulders in twin braids and her teal eyes were narrowed with spite. Her mouth curved into a cruel smile. “Are you hiding from me, Louie?” The young girl asked, tilting her head to the side. Louis pressed himself further back into the wall and dropped his gaze to the ground, deciding it was best not to answer.

The girl didn’t like that. She hated being ignored and reaching out, she jabbed the other child in the shoulder with one finger. “I’m  _ talking _ to you, nerd,” she hissed, punctuating each word with another sharp jab. Louis flinched and slowly lifted his eyes to meet hers.

“N-no, Julianne. I- I was j-just um…” Louis stammered uneasily.

“Y-you w-w-were j-j-just  _ what? _ Spit it out already!” Julianne retorted mockingly. Once more Louis found himself dropping his gaze to the cement. The girl snorted in disgust. “ _ Well _ ?”

“I was just reading!” Louis blurted out, blue eyes darting around for an escape route. Being trapped in a corner with another student was bad enough; being trapped with  _ Julianne _ was about ten times worse and he struggled to control his breathing.

“You’re so weird. Don’t you have any friends?” The girl snickered, reaching out to snatch the book from the boy’s limp fingers. That was enough to rouse him. Louis’ head snapped up in alarm and he lunged for the book instinctively.

“No, don’t! Th-that book belongs to my  _ Maman _ ,” he yelped, straining to retrieve the book as Julianne dangled it over his head. The girl’s face lit up with a cruel delight as she watched the smaller boy jump desperately, fingers falling just short of the book’s spine each time.

“Go ahead, Louis, take the book back,” she teased, taking far too much delight in the tears that were beginning to fill the boy’s blue eyes.

“Give it BACK, Julianne!” Louis snapped, surprising even himself by the outburst. Smirking, the girl reached out and shoved him,  _ hard _ . Louis yelped as he landed on his backside and blinked the tears from his eyes as he stared up at the girl. Julianne lowered the book and flipped it to a random page. Her eyes seemed to scan the text for a moment before she wrinkled her nose and shot the blonde a disgusted look.

“You actually read this junk?” She scoffed, taking a page and giving it an experimental tug. The already over-used page tore easily and immediately her turquoise eyes flashed up to gauge his reaction.

“Julianne,  _ stop _ , that isn’t mine,” Louis pleaded desperately, although he made no move to rise from his position on the ground. The girl tilted her head and smirked at the child. She opened her mouth to speak but stopped when the book was snatched deftly from her fingers. Annoyance immediately flashed in her eyes as she turned… and came face with one very red-faced, very  _ angry _ Emma Dupain-Cheng. Shoving past the other girl, Emma moved to her brother’s side and helped him to his feet, handing him the rescued book before turning to glare at his bully.

“Leave,” Emma stated flatly, glaring daggers at the other girl. Julianne’s lips twisted in a sneer and she made no move to leave the alcove. By this point, a small crowd had been drawn in by the sounds of shouting and the other students were now watching in rapt attention.

“Aw, does wittle Louie need his sissy to pwotect him?” Julianne crooned sarcastically, arching a brow at the siblings. Emma’s face pinched with anger while Louis found a sudden and deep fascination with the ground at his feet.

“Leave my brother alone, Julianne. He hasn’t done anything to you,” Emma took a threatening step closer but paused when a hand caught her wrist. Louis blinked imploringly at his sister and gave a soft shake of his head.

“Emma, it’s okay. Let’s just go,” he pleaded, shooting a fearful glance at the gathering crowd. The raven-haired girl shook free of her brother’s grip, flashing him a slightly annoyed look before turning to glare at the other girl.

“Go ahead, Emma. Listen to baby Louis and  _ run away _ ,” Julianne sneered. The other students laughed at the taunt, but Emma didn’t spare them a glance as she stepped up until she and the other girl were nose to nose. They were almost identical in height, allowing green eyes to bore into teal ones without restraint.

“I don’t run away,” Emma shot back, jerking her chin up so she was looking down on the other girl. The chant started quietly at first, with only one or two people speaking the word. However, as other students began to pick up the chant it spread like a wildfire, rising in volume each time the word was spoken.  _ Fight. Fight. FIGHT. _ The girls didn’t spare the other students a glance; their gazes never wavered. They were locked in a silent battle of wills as behind them, Louis tried to shrink in on himself. He felt trapped. Between the two girls directly in front of him, and the gathered students at the entrance of the alcove, he had nowhere to go and that realization caused his throat to tighten. Louis pressed back into the brick wall at his back hard enough for the stones to scrape at the exposed skin on his arms. He barely noticed the pain though. His breathing was coming quick and shallow, the air halting every time it attempted to fill his lungs. Desperately, the boy patted at his pockets searching for his Inhaler as lights seemed to burst behind his eyes and he swayed dangerously.

Julianne’s gaze flickered past Emma and she paused at the sight before her. Louis looked like a gasping fish and it was her momentary confusion that caused Emma to glance behind her as well. The dark-haired girl gasped, lunging for her brother just as his eyes rolled back and he collapsed into her arms, nearly taking them both to the ground. “LOUIE!” Emma cried out, alarm pulsing through her. She looked up, panicked, as their classmates stood around, frozen, eyes wide and mouths hanging open. It was Nina who snapped out of it first, spinning around and shoving through the crowd, calling for a teacher as she went.

  
  


At 12 PM, Marinette stood on the curb and watched as the limo pulled up in front of her apartment building. She should have expected it, but in all honesty, she hadn’t. Only the Agrestes’ would send a limo to pick up a potential employee. The driver exited the vehicle and moved around the car, pulling the door open for her and reluctantly she slid into the car. The seats, she soon found, were buttery soft. They were a rich cream-colored leather and the floor was made up of a plush white carpet. Between the seats opposite of her was a small mini bar and if it weren’t so early in the day, she might be tempted to have a drink. Something told her that being around Adrien Agreste for long periods of time would be hell on her nerves. Unfortunately, Marinette frowned upon day drinking and so instead she grabbed a bottle of water from atop the minibar and took small sips as the car headed for the Agreste Mansion.

Marinette had never actually been to the Agreste Mansion and was rather surprised how close it was to her apartment. Really, it was only a few blocks past the elementary school. That was an interesting tidbit to store away for later. The limo pulled through the front gates and up to the stairs leading to the front doors. Before she could even think to open the door, the driver was there doing it for her. She took his offered hand with an awkward smile and stepped out of the limo. Looking up at the mansion, she dryly wondered why people thought it was weird that she considered Gabriel Agreste to be over the top. Really, who needed a four-story mansion in the middle of Paris? The exterior was tan and cream with a black shingled roof. The third floor sported two domed roofs before going up into the fourth floor, which appeared to be an attic-like space. Long, vertical windows were evenly spaced on each floor with white panes that shimmered in the sunlight. Honestly, the place was built like a fortress. Rolling her eyes, Marinette ascended the stairs. Before she had a chance to knock, the door swung open and there stood Adrien Agreste, in all his glory. Adrien hadn’t really dressed up today, but that wasn’t to say he didn’t still look sinfully handsome in his mint green button-up shirt and low-slung, hip-hugging jeans. 

“Marinette, come in!” Adrien’s smile could have rivaled the sun itself as he ushered her inside. The first thing Marinette noticed was the sheer opulence of the place. Loathe as she was to admit it, being surrounded by such luxury made her feel rather inadequate. The second thing she noticed was how cold the room felt. Not physically. The room was warm enough temperature wise but the atmosphere was so clinical and impersonal. The floor is white marble, a big black design taking up most of the floor space between the door and the (also white) grand staircase. The walls were, you guessed it, white with black marble accents here and there. At the top of the staircase, before it branched off in either direction, a large picture of Gabriel Agreste and a young Adrien Agreste dominated the wall. Marinette purposely looks away from the image. The forlorn look on the boy’s face in the photo was heart-wrenching. 

Not noticing her distraction, Adrien places a hand on the small of her back and leads her to a door that sits to the right of the staircase. Marinette makes no protest, content with eyeing their surroundings as they pass through what appears to be a small sitting room before stepping through another door into a large workroom. Like the foyer, the color scheme seems to be black and white but the atmosphere in this room was warmer, homier. Work tables were evenly spaced throughout the room and a bank of computers sat along one wall. Half-dressed mannequins were everywhere and the tables were littered with drawings, fabrics, and sewing supplies. 

“So, this is where the magic happens?” Marinette asked, moving curiously into the room. Adrien watched her, a soft smile on his face, before joining her as she wandered through the tables, trailing her fingers along this fabric and that.

“This is it. My father rarely uses this workspace anymore but whenever I head a project I usually try to have my design team work out of here. It’s more convenient and the fact that we have a personal chef on hand ready to deliver food and coffee at the drop of a hat doesn’t hurt matters. It definitely helps when pulling all-nighters,” he said with a shrug. Marinette shot him an amused look from the corner of her eye.

“Yeah? It must be nice to be  _ insanely _ rich,” she said, a hint of a smile in her voice. Marinette immediately regretted her words when Adrien shifted uncomfortably and looked away.

“Technically, my father is the rich one,” he pointed out.

“Sorry, that was rude,” Marinette apologized gently, reaching out to touch the back of his hand lightly before dropping her hand back to her side. The touch was fleeting, but something about it warmed the man. He wasn’t accustomed to people touching him in such a casual way. Normally when people got close to him it was because they wanted something from him, or had some ulterior motive. Marinette, however, seemed to expect nothing in return for her simple gesture of comfort, if the way she immediately turned away to focus back on the room was any indication. The woman in question breathed out a gusty sigh. “When did you finish your last project?”

“Um… four months ago? Give or take?” Adrien guessed, giving her a curious look. “Why?” 

Marinette slid an amused glance at the man before gesturing grandly to encompass the whole room. “This place is a total mess. How are we supposed to find anything in here?”

“Oh, right… well, the cleaning staff know better than to touch the workshops without explicit instruction and I guess it slipped my mind… I could have them come clean it, though. We can go somewhere else to work while we wait.” He offered, but Marinette was already shaking her head in amusement.

“You let  _ other _ people clean your workshop? How are you supposed to find anything after they finish? No, you and me?  _ We’re _ going to tackle this mess.” She said confidently, sweeping past him to the first table. Adrien watched her, startled, as she began sorting through the mess on the table. Despite having nothing to do with his previous project, it was obvious Marinette knew her way around a workshop. Her movements were sure and deft as she sorted through papers and swaths of fabric. He probably stood there for ten minutes just watching her work before she glanced up and shot him an amused look.

“Um, Adrien… are you just going to stand there watching me or are you going to actually  _ help _ ?” She teased, and it could have been his imagination but he swore her eyes seemed to sparkle beneath the fluorescent lights.

“Oh, right! Sorry, I um… right, yeah. Of course I’ll help,” he said awkwardly, hurrying over to join her. The pair fell into a comfortable silence as they sorted through the mess. Occasionally, one of them would make a comment about a particular fabric or sketch, but for the most part, they worked quietly. As the time inched closer to 1 o’clock, Adrien suggested they take a break, much to the dark-haired girl’s amusement.

“Adrien, we’ve only been working for half an hour,” she teased, earning a rueful smile and a helpless shrug from the man.

“Come on, Mari, I need coffee. All this mindless work is turning my brain to mush,” he pleaded, his grin only widening when the girl rolled her eyes. It took a bit of cajoling but eventually, the pair found themselves in the kitchen. 

“So, where’s this private chef of yours?” Marinette asked playfully. She wasn’t expecting Adrien to curse at her question, but he did. Quietly and clearly not meant for her to hear but still.

“Shit… Cornelius is probably taking his lunch break. Um… I guess we can wait for him to come back,” Adrien said dejectedly. He had really wanted a cup of coffee. Beside him, Marinette gave him a dubious look.

“Let me guess… Prince Charming has never made his own cup of coffee?” She guessed, amusement dancing in her eyes. Adrien flushed at her accurate assumption and, in order to cover up his embarrassment, he leaned closer with a sly smile.

“Are you saying you find me charming,  _ Purr-incess _ ?” He asked. The girl gave him a completely unaffected look and arched a brow.

“Careful, Adrien… your Pun is showing,” she deadpanned.

“My  _ pun _ is showing?” Adrien snorted. Her mouth twitched but otherwise held firm as she nodded resolutely.

“Have you noticed,” she asked as she turned away and began to scour the cupboards for the coffee grounds, “that you only seem to make cat-related puns?”

“I like cats.” Adrien crossed his arms defensively.

“I can tell…” Marinette snickered adorably. As if summoned by their words, Plagg chose that moment to saunter into the room and hop onto the kitchen island. Marinette blinked at suddenly coming face to face with the small, black creature.

“Plagg, get down from there!” Adrien scolded, reaching for the cat. Plagg deftly evaded his owner’s grasp, green eyes never leaving Marinette’s. “Sorry, he’s a strange cat. Normally he won’t even come out when there are strangers in the house, though. He isn’t very sociable.” As if to disprove his owner's words, Plagg suddenly gave a loud, rumbling purr and butted his head against the girl’s chest. Adrien stared, dumbfounded, as the girl giggled and tickled the cat under his chin, effectively turning his usually cool and collected cat into a lovestruck kitten.

“Oh, Adrien, he is just the  _ sweetest,”  _ Marinette giggled as the cat stood on his hind legs, planted his paws on her chest, and rubbed his face affectionately against her chin. The man glared daggers at the cat, an irrational surge of jealousy flooding him. It didn’t help that Plagg totally shot him a smug grin over his shoulder as the raven-haired girl fawned over him.

“Yeah, he’s a total angel. Weren’t you about to make coffee?” He grumbled, earning a surprised look from Marinette. She apparently didn’t pick up on his jealousy because she simply shrugged off his rough demeanor and turned to the cupboards and resumed her search. In the end, however, coffee would have to wait because as she was searching through the third cupboard, her phone rang. Marinette was on her tiptoes, one hand patting around on the top shelf of the cupboard in hopes of finding at least a canister of Folgers when the device began going off. She wobbled unsteadily until a pair of strong hands caught and steadied her. Face flushed, Marinette quickly pulled her phone from her pocket and answered without glancing at the caller ID.

“Hello?” She asked, her eyes never leaving Adrien’s.

“Is this Marinette Dupain-Cheng?” An unfamiliar voice asked.

“Yes, this is she.”

“My name is Elisabeth Dubois. I’m the school nurse. I have your son Louis Dupain-Cheng here in my office,” the voice said.

“What!? Is he okay? What happened?” Marinette turned her back on Adrien, lips pressing into a thin line as she listened to the other woman speak.

“He’s okay, Miss Dupain-Cheng. It would seem your son suffered a fairly severe panic attack during recess and he collapsed,” Miss Dubois explained.

“He  _ collapsed _ !? How on earth does that translate to okay? Did he hit his head? Where were the teachers? Where was his inhaler!?” She demanded, anger beginning to mingle with the fear. Turning she stepped around Adrien who was now staring at her with a look of concern on his face. 

“He’s awake now, Miss Dupain-Cheng. He didn’t actually hit the ground. It would seem Emma caught him before he could. The teachers were patrolling the playground. Your son and a few other students were in a little alcove away from the playground and so they weren’t seen until another student called for the teacher.”

“Louis was with other children? Louis  _ hates _ socializing with other children and he’s extremely claustrophobic. It’s no wonder he had a panic attack! What were the other students doing?” She grabbed her purse and turned towards the door, barely noticing Adrien trailing after her.

“It seems like your daughter was on the verge of getting into an altercation with another student,” the woman explained as Marinette opened the door and started down the stairs.

“My  _ daughter _ wouldn’t start an ‘altercation’ as you call it unless this other kid was harassing Louis,” Marinette hissed, not noticing the way Adrien faltered behind her and very nearly tripped down the stairs.

“I am only relaying what I have been told, ma’am,” the nurse said apologetically. Marinette growled a few choice words before hanging up the phone without another word and turning towards the gates. Adrien, who had mostly recovered from his earlier shock, caught her wrist to stop her.

“Where are you going?” He asked, puzzled. Marinette froze, turning slowly to look at him. She hadn’t realized he was behind her and she wondered how much he had overheard.

“I um… I have to-” She began but Adrien cut her off with a wave of his hand.

“You have to go pick up your kids, right? Sorry, I didn’t mean to eavesdrop. What I meant to ask was why don’t you let me drive you? It’s faster than walking, after all.” He offered. The limo hadn’t yet been moved to the garage, so he opened the back door for her expectantly, while simultaneously paging his driver. Marinette hesitated. She knew allowing Adrien anywhere near her kids could spell disaster but in that moment, she couldn’t really bring herself to care. Not when Louis was laying on a bed in the Nurse’s office, no doubt wondering where she was.

“Thank you,” she said quietly, stepping past him and sliding into the back seat of the limo. Adrien settled in across from her as the driver arrived and slid into the front seat. Within moments, they were heading towards the school.

  
  


The ride to  _ Cours Hattemer _ Elementary School was a silent one. Adrien watched Marinette as she fidgeted and squirmed in her seat. It certainly came as a surprise that she had children and he wondered how old they were. Obviously, they were old enough to be in school but he wondered what  _ grade _ they were in. She really didn’t look old enough to have older children so he was assuming they were both in elementary school.  _ Cours Hattemer _ was a great school. In fact, it was the school he and Chloe attended when they were kids. That was, of course, before his mother had disappeared and his father started homeschooling him. As the car pulled up in front of the admin offices, Marinette was up and out the door before the car could even come to a complete halt. Startled, Adrien promised the driver they would be back soon and scrambled after her. He caught up to the young woman just as she burst through the office doors, most likely scaring the secretary half to death.

“Where-” she began but stopped when another voice spoke up.

“ _ Mama! _ ” Both Marinette and Adrien turned at the voice, to find a little girl leap up from a chair in one corner of the room and launch herself at the dark-haired woman. Adrien watched, dumbstruck, as Marinette caught the child and swung her up in a fierce hug. It was the girl; Emma Dupain-Cheng. The girl that, along with her twin brother, had been with Alya and Nino and their kids when he had met up with them for an impromptu lunch date. Neither the child nor the young mother seemed to notice he was there and he was okay with that. He kind of needed a moment. After all, if what Nino said was true, Alya and Marinette had been friends since middle school. Nino had known her since before he had met Adrien which meant the last six years, Marinette had been at his fingertips. All the times they had mentioned their friend, Mari, they had been talking about  _ her _ and he had been too stupid to realize it. Marinette’s voice jolted him back to the present.

“Emilia, where is Louie? What happened?” Marinette had set the girl down and was now staring into her eyes. The pair made a pretty picture. They were almost identical with their long, blue-black hair, their heart-shaped faces, and almond-shaped eyes. The only real difference (aside from age) was Emma’s piercing green eyes. He imagined that if Emma had blue eyes, she would be the spitting image of a much younger Marinette Dupain-Cheng.

“Louie is with the nurse, Mama. That horrible Julianne Baker was bothering him again,” she explained, lips twisting into a slight frown.

“Julianne… she’s the one who stole his lunch almost every day last month, isn’t she?” Marinette asked, her frown nearly identical to her daughter’s. Emma nodded.

“Yeah, her. She’s always picking on Louie, Mama. And today she ripped his favorite book! Then when I told her to leave, she wouldn’t and other kids came to watch and they were yelling ‘fight fight fight’ and I  _ really _ wanted to punch her but I didn’t. Mostly cause Louie stopped me but a little because you told me that hitting is wrong. Even if Julianne Baker  _ really, really _ deserved it, Mama. So then Louie did that thing of his… where he gets really scared and stops breathing right and then he just fell over! But it’s okay cause I caught him and Nina went to get the teacher and then they called you,” the child finished in a rush. 

“Well,” Marinette said slowly, still seeming to process her daughter’s words, “ I’m glad you didn’t punch her. That would have been bad. Can you go wait while I-” she broke off as Emma suddenly looked past her with a wide grin.

“Hey, it’s  _ you _ ! You’re Uncle Nino’s friend!” She grinned widely, clearly pleased about remembering him, while Marinette looked between the two like a deer caught in headlights. Emma didn’t seem to notice this, however. “Mama, can I wait with him while you go get Louie?” She asked hopefully.

“Oh, no… Sweetie, Adrien is a very busy man and he really needs to-”

“I don’t mind,” Adrien said, cutting her off with a grin. “I love kids. And besides, I kinda cleared my whole schedule for the day so we could work on the project so…” He shrugged while Emma bounced up to him and grabbed his hand. She gave his arm a sharp tug.

“Come on, Adrien! Let me show you the poem I’m working on in class,” she said. Adrien made a shooing motion at Marinette and gave her a reassuring grin before following the excited little girl back to the little sitting area. Marinette watched them go before sighing and turning to find Louis. It wasn’t hard. Having heard all the commotion the Nurse poked her head out of waved her into the infirmary. When she entered, Louis was sitting on the edge of the paper covered bed, legs dangling. He looked up when Marinette entered, but he didn’t smile. Even from the doorway, she could see he was still shaking like a leaf. A typical after effect of a particularly strong panic attack.

“Oh, Louie, baby,” Marinette crossed the room in two long strides and immediately scooped the shivering child up. The way he clung to her nearly broke her heart and she turned to glare at the nurse. “Where are Emilia and Louis’ things?” She asked. The nurse shifted uncomfortably.

“Ma’am as I am sure you are well aware,  _ Cours Hattemer _ frowns upon children leaving the school in the middle of the day. It disrupts the learning process and-”

“You’ll be lucky if I don’t pull my children out of your school completely!” Marinette interrupted lividly. “Now I ask again,  _ where are Emilia and Louis’ things _ ?” The nurse sighed and stepped into her office, returning with the backpacks. Marinette snatched them from the woman and stormed out of the office. Across the room, Emma looked up and immediately hopped up to join them, Adrien trailing silently after her.

“Louie, are you okay?” She asked, smiling up at her brother. The fact that Louie didn’t answer, choosing instead to bury his face in his mother’s neck and tighten his hold around her neck, didn’t seem to bother her at all. She simply glanced at her mother for an answer.

“Louie will be fine, love. He’s just a little shaken up,” Marinette helpfully translated before turning a hard stare on the Secretary. “I need to speak to your Principal please.”

“I’m sorry, ma’am. But Principal Beaumont is unavailable unless you have an appointment,” she said, not looking up from her computer.

“Is he in a meeting?” Marinette asked, her voice deceptively soft.

“No, Ma’am, just busy.”

“Is he out of office?”

“No, Ma’am, he is not,” the Secretary finally glanced up with barely veiled annoyance. “Would you like to set an appointment, Ma’am?”

“Emma, Louis? Mommy has to say some adult words. I need you to cover your ears, please.” Marinette kept her tone completely even, almost conversational, and Adrien arched a wary brow as both children obediently covered their ears. Leaning over the desk, Marinette locked eyes with the now nervous secretary. She kept her voice low, but her voice was laced with barely contained malice.

“Listen here,  _ bitch _ , you are going to get up, go through that  _ fucking _ door, and tell that cowardly  _ asswipe _ to get his ass out here before I take him to court and sue him for all he’s worth!” She spat. The Secretary shifted uneasily, attempting to keep her voice even as she responded.

“And um… what reason should I give him, Ma’am?” She asked, licking her lips nervously. Marinette practically bared her teeth at the woman in a quiet snarl.

“Because on one of your students, one I have  _ repeatedly _ complained about, my son just suffered a level 7 panic attack. My son  _ fainted _ because you  _ dickheads _ are too busy kissing ass to actually take care of the students in your  _ fucking care _ !” She snarled, blue eyes flashing.

The secretary leaped to her feet and bobbed her head. “I’ll relay your message right away, Miss Dupain-Cheng,” she promised before turning to scurry off in the direction of the Principal’s office. Marinette tapped one finger lightly against Louis’ hand and both children immediately dropped their hands. Louis went back to clinging to her neck and Emma beamed at her mother, completely unaffected. Either they hadn’t heard what she had said through their hands, Adrien thought with a mixture of awe, amusement, and a hint of apprehension, or Marinette Dupain-Cheng wasn’t nearly as sweet and innocent as she appeared to be. 

“Mama, can we get ice cream after this? I think it will make Louie feel better,” Emma suddenly proposed, looking up from the poem she had so eagerly shown Adrien earlier. Like a switch had been flipped Marinette’s face seemed to melt from fury into affection as she smiled indulgently at her daughter.

“That’s a good idea, Emma. I think it will make Louie feel better too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so tempted to write a sequel where Emma and Louis are in high school and LouisxJulianne happens. Like I know I made her out to be a bad person but I seriously think they could make such a cute duo lmao What do you guys think? Hell, i could even totally throw the superhero aspect in for the Duo but I probably won't. Just food for thought


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which fluffy family bonding happens (even if Adrien isn't aware it's his family) and questions are raised

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is about a thousand words shorter than normal (still almost 5000 words thou lol) but honestly this chapter ended in such a perfect spot I couldn't bear to add on to it lol. I hope you guys enjoy xD
> 
> Fair warning this chapter is like 95% dialogue which normally I hate but oh well, these two are stinking adorable

Twenty minutes later, Marinette found herself back in the limo shifting awkwardly as the car pulled away from  _ Cours Hattemer _ . The conversation with Principal Beaumont had gone exactly how she had expected. Marinette had growled thinly veiled threats, he had apologized profusely and promised to look into the matter, and she had left his office largely unsatisfied. She really didn’t want to pull the children from their school. Emma loved it there, she had friends there, and she knew Louis would be unhappy about going to school no matter where she sent him. She wanted him away from this Julianne kid, but she wasn’t willing to separate the Twins to do so. Marinette returned to the main office to find Emma was still sitting with Adrien. He was holding her poem again, and Emma was practically in his lap as she pointed out different lines that she liked, and ones that confused her. She had to admit, seeing Emma and her father unknowingly interact with one another tugged at her heartstrings more than she cared to admit. As she stood there watching them, she also made a startling realization. Emma didn’t just have Adrien’s eyes. She had his smile. That wide, dimpled grin that made her heart leap and flutter when Adrien flashed it at her? It was the same wide, dimpled grin that had warmed her heart and soothed her fears for the past five years. It was a wonder he didn’t make the connection just looking at her and that was why she had hurried over to the pair to put an end to their interaction.

“Emma, sweetie, it’s time to go,” she said, adjusting her hold on Louis and extending her hand to the little girl. Emma pouted and clung tighter to Adrien’s arm, her lip jutting out in protest.

“But  _ Maman _ ,” she began, her eyes beginning to widen in her signature puppy dog eyed look.

“No buts,  _ Mon Lapin _ , Adrien needs to go,” she said firmly. Before Adrien could protest, she continued. “Adrien, I really can’t thank you enough for driving me here and then staying to entertain Emma. You really didn’t have to do that,” she said, shifting awkwardly. 

“You don’t need to thank me, Mari. Emma is almost as delightful as her  _ Maman _ ,” he said with a playful wink. Emma looked between the two with a lot more interest than she had before.

“ _ Maman _ , can Uncle Adrien get ice cream with us?  _ Please _ ?” The dark-haired child suddenly asked, eyes widening and lips pouting as she fully affected the puppy dog look. Marinette mentally winced at the ‘uncle Adrien’ bit. Clearly, Emma was already becoming more attached than she wanted her to become.

“Emma, don’t-”

“ _ Please _ , Mama,” Emma said at the same time as Adrien  _ mirrored _ her look perfectly and said, “ _ Please _ , Mari?”  

Marinette looked between the two dumbfounded, and it was at that moment she knew… she was  _ screwed _ . Because Emma’s Puppy dog eyes were hard enough to deny as it was. But the force of Emma and Adrien’s puppy dog eyes  _ together _ was too much for her heart to handle. She would like to say she held her ground pretty well after that; she would like to say she had said no at least a few more times before caving… but it would be a lie. She couldn’t help but give in immediately because damn if those two didn’t make a perfect pair. Especially when, after she agreed, they both pumped their fists into the air and cheered happily before giving each other high fives and conspiratorial winks.  _ Mon Dieu, my heart can only handle so much before it explodes, _ Marinette though ruefully.

That was what brought them to their current situation. Marinette was sitting in the limo, and although she had managed to get Louis to sit on the seat, he hadn’t released the vise-like grip he had on her arm. Across from her, Adrien and Emma were chatting animatedly about anything and everything they could come up with. School, books, movies, favorite animals- Emma had been vastly pleased when he said he liked cats. Her daughter had been begging for a kitten for the twins’ birthday and Marinette was fairly close to giving in and agreeing. Louis had mostly stopped shaking, and like his mother seemed unable to take his eyes off the duo across from him. He almost,  _ almost _ looked like he was tempted to join them but that was silly and probably wishful thinking on her part. Louis hated meeting new people. The drive itself was quiet aside from Emma and Adrien’s endless stream of chatter. Occasionally, Emma would turn to ask her mother a question but for the most part, it was like the pair were the only two in the car.

Eventually, they reached their destination. Because Marinette and Adrien had yet to eat lunch, they decided to go to  _ Le Faisan _ a small, if somewhat high-end cafe near the school. Marinette would have been happier going somewhere much cheaper but Adrien had insisted that, after the long day she had had, he wanted to treat her and the kids. She was still planning on trying to snag the bill before he could, but she happened to really like the place so she had given in without much of a fight. They had good food and their sundaes were plenty large enough for the four to share. The car pulled up outside the cafe. It was a pretty, two-story building painted white with a dark brown trim. Large, plate glass windows dominated the bottom floor, giving them an uninterrupted view of the busy cafe as they exited the limo. The second floor had much smaller windows, one for each of the tables that lined the wall. There was a pretty white balcony sticking out from the second floor, and given the warmth of the day, it was extremely crowded.

Marinette picked up Louis and reached for her daughter’s hand, but Emma had already grabbed Adrien’s hand and was dragging him along the sidewalk and up to the door. He glanced back rather apologetically and she shrugged and shook her head. Emma was a force to be reckoned with and it was easier to just let her have her way sometimes. The blonde-haired man did, however, manage to slow the child enough that he was able to hold the door for Marinette before Emma dragged him towards the hostess’ podium. The inside of  _ Le Faisan _ was just as charming as the outside. The walls were a warm mint green, while the plush carpet was a rich chocolate brown. Booths lined the walls, while small tables were interspersed evenly throughout the open space. At the back of the room, a small counter separated the restaurant from the staff only area. Bar stools sat at the counter where people could watch through a small window in the wall as the cooks made their food.

The hostess greeted them with a wave and a quick ‘welcome to  _ La Faisan _ ’ when they entered. She was a tall woman with rich chocolate skin, black hair pulled into a bun atop her head. Her bright hazel crinkled at the corners when she smiled at them. “Party of four?” She asked, looking at Adrien expectantly. He nodded. “Booth or table?” 

“A booth, please.” Marinette intoned before Adrien could answer. The woman nodded and gestured for them to follow her across the room to the only empty booth on the bottom floor. Marinette started to follow but Adrien stopped the woman with a quick word.

“Wait,” he called, and she immediately stopped and looked back at him. “Is the second floor crowded?”

“The balcony is, sir but inside it’s not too bad. I don’t think we have an available booth up there though…” She shrugged apologetically and Adrien was quick to wave off her concerns. “We’ll take a table, it’s fine.” The woman shrugged and swapped directions, leading them towards the stairs leading up to the second floor. Marinette gave him a quizzical look.

“You know their tables aren’t half as comfortable as their booths, right?” She asked, falling into step beside him as he followed the hostess. Adrien shot her a side glance before gesturing towards the booth they had originally been headed to.

“You said Louis is claustrophobic right? I used to be a bit claustrophobic myself, especially surrounded by strangers. I’d rather sit in an uncomfortable chair than risk the little guy having another panic attack,” he explained before Emma’s tugging drew him ahead. Marinette faltered and stared after him, slack-jawed. If that wasn’t the most considerate thing she’d ever heard, she wasn’t sure what was. Often she had heard so many people criticize her for indulging Louis in his fears and going out of her way to avoid them rather than forcing him to face them head-on. Adrien hadn’t even hesitated to take matters into his own hands to ensure her son was comfortable. Eventually, they reached the second floor and the Hostess was happy to find them a table in the back corner, far away from the few occupants that  _ were _ in the second-floor dining area. Marinette settled Louis in the chair beside her, brushing his blonde mop off his forehead to place a chaste kiss on the newly exposed skin before allowing his bangs to fall back down. Emma sat beside Adrien, fairly bouncing in her seat as the Hostess placed a couple menus down. The kids' menus here had several interactive activities and Emma was quick to break open her crayons, encouraging Louis to do the same thing. It took a bit of prompting but eventually, he began coloring a picture of a Pheasant that sat above a maze. The Hostess promised their waiter would be by soon and quickly bid them a good afternoon before returning to her station on the first floor.

“So…” Adrien began, his soft voice drawing the blue-eyed woman from her thoughts. Marinette turned her bluebell eyes to his emerald ones and found his mouth quirked up in amusement.

“So…” She replied, curious despite herself.

“Mama Bear Mari… I have to say it was kinda hot,” he teased, green eyes sparkling with some unidentifiable emotion. Marinette’s once fair skin suddenly turned a deep red from her neck up to the roots of her hair. She shot a glance towards Louis and Emma but Adrien had spoken so quietly and they were so engrossed in their coloring that neither paid them any mind.

“Adrien, that… that’s… I mean um… that’s inappropriate. There are children present and you’re my  _ boss _ ,” she finally settled on, turning her nose up primly. Across the table, Adrien snorted at her over-exaggerated show of primness. 

“Technically, not your boss yet. But on a more serious note? I have to say I’m surprised,” he chuckled, earning a dubious look from the woman across from him.

“Good surprised or bad surprised?” She asked, hating how much his answer mattered to her. She should  _ not _ care what Adrien Agreste thought of her display of overprotectiveness.

“Good. Most definitely good. I don’t know, you seem so sweet and innocent and… and  _ demure _ , I really wouldn’t have guessed you to have such a potty mouth,” he teased. Surprisingly, it was Emma who interjected, proving they weren’t being nearly as quiet as they had originally thought.

“ _ Maman _ likes using her adult words. Papa says he gets it from  _ grand-mère _ ,” the child said conversationally, not looking up from her coloring. Adrien’s curiosity spiked at her words.

“Papa as in… your father?” He asked. He was certain Nino had said the father wasn’t in the picture but maybe he had been wrong? He was so focused on the little girl he failed to see Marinette freeze, eyes widening in alarm as she shot her daughter a warning look. Of course, Emma wasn’t looking up so she didn’t see the look and answered without hesitation.

“No, Papa is my  _ grand-père _ . I don’t know my father,” she shrugged and finally looked up to give Adrien a solemn look. “Uncle Nino and Aunt Alya say  _ Maman _ doesn’t know who he is but she just won’t  _ tell _ me who he is.” Adrien and Emma both looked at Marinette at this. The man had to admit, Marinette did look like she knew something. She was way too pale for someone who had supposedly been honest with her daughter. Not that he blamed her. If the father didn’t want anything to do with the children, it was probably easier pretending she didn’t know them.

“Emma, I’ve told you. I don’t know who he is,” she choked out. The little girl arched a brow, clearly unconvinced.

“Right. Anyway, it doesn’t matter. I have  _ Maman _ , and  _ grand-mère, _ and Papa, and Louie. Plus Uncle Nino and Auntie Alya.” Emma shrugged again, and Adrien again wondered at how such a young child could sound so mature. Before they could continue the topic, the Waiter mercifully arrived and took their order. Marinette ordered a burger and fries, getting the children a chicken strip basket to share since they had eaten at school already. Adrien ordered a chicken caesar salad with grilled chicken, no cheese or croutons, dressing on the side. When Marinette gave him an amused look, he mouthed ‘model diet’ and shrugged. The waiter left and silence fell over the table, the only sound the scratch of crayons against paper. Their drinks were delivered before conversation resumed, this time on a much safer topic.

“So I’m curious… how did you meet Madame Lacrosse?” Adrien asked, grinning as the woman’s face immediately relaxed into an affectionate grin.

“It was actually years ago when I was pregnant with the twins. Tara was visiting Paris and I was a University student. I later dropped out to focus on the twins but she came to my school. This was back before she had fully decided to move to Paris for a few years. She wanted to but hadn’t fully made a decision yet. She was actually in Paris to get a feel for a place; see if it was a place she would enjoy living for a few years. Anyway, she was looking for an apprentice and happened in on my Designing class. She took an interest in my work and offered me the position on the spot… but I refused,” she admitted smiling ruefully.

“You refused?” Adrien asked, surprised.

“I refused,” she confirmed with a grin.

“Can I ask  _ why? _ ” Adrien asked, lips twitching up into his own smile.

“I was pregnant with twins. I was on the verge of dropping out of school and… to be honest, there was only one Designer I wanted to work with back then. Your father, actually.” Marinette’s lips tugged down in a frown at the memory. Tara had offered her the position a week before Gabriel Agreste had utterly destroyed her idealistic vision of him.

“I thought you didn’t like my father’s work,” Adrien said, confused.

“I don’t. But I did back then. Anyway, I thought that was the end of it and Tara didn’t actually wind up moving to Paris until three years later. So one day I was working at my parents’ bakery and in walks Tara Lacrosse. She seemed as surprised to see me as I was to see her, but we got to talking and she eventually convinced me to show her some of my most recent designs. I hadn’t made anything aside from baby clothes since the twins were born, but I hadn’t stopped drawing other designs and I guess she was impressed because she offered me the internship and even offered to pay for daycare for the twins so I could come to work,” Marinette’s smile had hardened when talking about his father but now it was soft and affectionate once more.

“That was nice of her,” he said, surprised. Marinette nodded.

“Tara Lacrosse isn’t just my boss and mentor. She’s my friend and she’s almost become like a second mother. She was so supportive, never questioned when I needed to bring one or both of the twins with me to work… she’s the reason they’re in  _ Cours Hattemer _ . I certainly could never afford the tuition but Tara insisted on taking care of it.” She finished and Adrien felt his already positive view of the eccentric designer improve even more.

“That’s amazing, Marinette,” he said honestly. She nodded, the warm smile fading slightly as she sighed.

“I’m going to miss her but… it wouldn’t be fair to move Emma and Louie all the way to New York just to pursue my dreams of a fashion career,” she glanced at the two children and Adrien noted that there was no resentment or regret in her eyes. Marinette didn’t blame her children in the least for being unable to pursue a career under Tara. She simply accepted it and moved on. It was incredibly selfless.

“Well, I’m sure my father will love your designs when-” Adrien was cut off by a surprisingly bitter noise of disbelief and looked up to find that her gentle demeanor had faded and now she looked downright livid.

“Honestly, Adrien. I’ll be lucky if your father doesn’t throw me out of the house as soon as he realizes it's me you’re working with,” she said, blue-black hair rustling as she shook her head. Adrien blinked, startled by the sudden change in the woman.

“You’ve met my father then?” He asked. It was news to him.

“Unfortunately so. No offense. I know he’s your father and all, but he’s kind of a jackass,” she admitted with a shrug.

“None taken; I actually agree with you but… how did you meet and why don’t you guys like each other? With your talent, I’m surprised he didn’t snatch you up from under Tara’s nose,” Adrien joked. Marinette froze, suddenly realizing the conversation had taken a dangerous turn.

“I can’t tell you that,” Marinette said, immediately sitting back in her seat and looking away. Adrien’s smile faded somewhat in surprise.

“I guess that’s fair. I mean, it’s not like  _ he’s _ the father of your children or anything,” Adrien said playfully. He meant it as a joke but across from him Marinette’s eyes widened and the sip of water she had just taken suddenly got caught in her throat. Adrien sprang up, pounding her on the back as she coughed and sputtered while Emma and Louis looked on with concern. Several people in the cafe turned to glare at them but Adrien paid them no mind. When Marinette was finally breathing and the children had returned to their drawings, Adrien sat back down and gave her an apprehensive look. “Marinette… they’re not- I mean you didn’t um- because you know Louie does kinda look like me and-” he trailed off uncomfortably before finally pitching his voice low enough not to alert the children as he asked, “Louis and Emma aren’t my half siblings right!?!”

“NO!” The word exploded from the woman as she stared at him, thoroughly scandalized. More people glared their way but neither of them noticed. “No, no,  _ oh GOD _ , no.  _ Ew _ , Adrien just…  _ Ew! _ I legitimately might puke,” Marinette made a show of retching as across from her Adrien relaxed in immense relief.

“Good, that’s good. I would have been thoroughly disturbed if they were,” he admitted with a small smile.

“ _ I _ am now  _ thoroughly disturbed _ , Adrien! Your father is like twice my age!” Marinette hissed, giving him a disgruntled and quite frankly  _ disgusted _ look. Adrien was saved having to explain himself by the arrival of their food. Conversation ceased at that point as they began to eat. Occasionally one of them would make a comment about this or that; trivial little things that would prompt an answer from the person it was directed at before silence once again reigned. Adrien was amused to discover that, despite his size, Louis ate quite a lot. Despite the fact that he had eaten lunch at school he quickly finished his half of the chicken strip basket, before polishing off half of Marinette’s burger and three-quarters of her fries. The young mother didn’t seem to mind sharing in the least, her smile nothing but indulgent adoration. Eventually, the food was finished and their dishes were cleared.

“Can I get you guys anything else or would you like the check?” The waiter asked when he had returned to stand beside their table.

“Could I get your Hot Fudge Sundae with four spoons? And can you make absolutely certain that it doesn’t come into contact with anything even remotely related to peanuts?” Marinette asked, offering him the dessert menu. The waiter nodded.

“Right away ma’am. Also, if I might be so bold, you have a beautiful family here,” he flashed a wide grin and departed while Marinette sputtered out incoherent protests before sliding a wary glance at Adrien. He looked rather perplexed, but his face relaxed into a smile when he noticed her looking.

“It’s odd, that’s the second time someone’s made that mistake. When I met up with Nino and Alya for lunch and they had the Twins with them, the Waitress made the same assumption,” he chuckled with a shrug and Marinette felt her mouth drop open. Was it really that easy? Had he just brushed it off like it was nothing? Perhaps she was more secure than she had originally thought. After all, Adrien didn’t seem to even briefly consider the possibility that Emma and Louis were his. Well okay then… that made things easier.

“That’s what Emma meant when she said you were friends with Nino,” Marinette said thoughtfully. It wasn’t phrased as a question but Adrien nodded nonetheless.

“Yeah, that was what… the day we met at Tara’s apartment?” He explained. Conversation after that turned to easier, lighter topics until their Sundae was delivered. The spoons were passed out and while Louis, who seemed to have recovered, for the most part, dug in with enthusiasm, Emma seemed to be waiting for something. Marinette took a bite before setting her spoon down. Adrien couldn’t help but watch curiously. She seemed to be waiting for something too. After two minutes passed, she gave an almost imperceptible nod at Emma and the child immediately picked up her own spoon and took a hearty bite.

“What was that about?” Adrien couldn’t help but ask. Marinette glanced up from where she was scooping up a dollop of whipped cream with her spoon.

“What- oh, that. Emma and I are allergic to nuts. If something normally comes with it, I usually try it first before allowing her to eat it,” she explained with a shrug. Adrien’s eyes widened in shock.

“Isn’t that dangerous?” He asked. Marinette shot him a rueful smile.

“If by dangerous you mean ‘could I die’? Yeah, probably. I mean, I always have a couple EpiPens on hand but if the reaction was severe enough I suppose yeah… I could die.” She shrugged nonchalantly, before catching sight of his face. “Adrien, why are you looking at me like that?” She asked. 

“I guess I’m just surprised. It’s not often I come across people who are so selfless,” he finally said, taking a bite of ice cream.

“How is it selfless to put your life on the line for your own child? That’s not selflessness, it’s being a good parent. Selfless is doing the same thing for a complete stranger.” She explained, blue eyes narrowing in thought.

“I doubt my father would-” he broke off when a new voice interrupted his thoughts.

“ _ Adrikiins! _ ” 

  
  


Adrien Agreste visibly winced and slowly, lifted his green eyes towards the all-too-familiar voice of his fiancee. Chloe Bourgeois was strolling towards him, her driver behind her laden with more bags and boxes than he could count. Right, he had almost forgotten that he had given her free range of his credit card earlier. She didn’t seem to notice he wasn’t alone, her blue eyes focused solely on his as she took his face in her hands and kissed him soundly. In fact, she didn’t seem to notice he wasn’t alone until the woman across from him made a soft sound at the back of her throat. Two sets of eyes immediately shifted towards the darker haired woman. The blue eyes that looked her way were narrowed with displeasure; the green ones were wide with panic. Adrien started to speak, but Chloe beat him to it.

“Marinette Dupain-Cheng, I thought I smelled something rank,” Chloe sneered, straightening up to glare at the younger woman.

“Chloe, what an unpleasant surprise,” Marinette shot back, the corners of her lips tugging down with displeasure as she glared at the other woman. Adrien looked between the pair uncertainly.

“What are you doing here with  _ my _ fiancee?” Chloe hissed, face pinching with anger. Marinette’s bluebell eyes widened almost imperceptibly as they flicked towards Adrien before she turned and gave Chloe a droll smile.

“Having dessert  _ obviously _ ,” she gestured to the sundae that sat between them. Chloe’s eyes flickered to the dessert with distaste before shifting to Emma and Louis. They had stopped eating and drawing and were blatantly staring at the adults before them.

“I see you brought your bas-” Chloe began but stopped when Marinette suddenly shot up so they were nose to nose.

“Hey Chloe, you remember the last time you insulted my kids to my face and had to tell the media you’d been scratched by a  _ cat _ ?” She asked her tone sickly sweet despite the semi-murderous look on her face. “Now, we wouldn’t want that to happen again, would we?”

Adrien looked between the two uneasily. He knew he should be defending Chloe. She was his childhood friend and his fiancee. He had known her eons longer than he had known Marinette and loyalty had always been important to him. At the same time, he was feeling a bit overprotective of Marinette and her children and had to bite back the words he wanted to say to Chloe on their behalf. Instead, he rose and deftly placed himself between them.

“Hey, guys… maybe this isn’t the time or place?” He suggested, nodding to where the other patrons and the restaurant staff were watching them warily. For a moment, neither girl budged. They didn’t even look at him. They were locked in a battle of wills, bluebell eyes clashing with baby blues before finally, Marinette tore her gaze away and mumbled something under her breath. He didn’t catch her words but judging by the way Chloe stiffened, eyes widening with rage, he guessed it wasn’t anything pleasant. He caught Chloe’s elbow before she could do or say something rash.

“Emilia, Louis, we have to go,” Marinette said, grabbing her purse to throw some money down on the table. Adrien touched her wrist, stopping her, while beside him Chloe huffed in protest. Marinette lifted her blue eyes to his green ones, her uncertain gaze searching. 

“I got this, Mari. Um, I’ll call you later and we can set up a time to meet up and discuss the project further if it’s alright with you?” He asked, giving her a small hopeful smile. After a moment, Marinette dropped her gaze but she was also nodding in agreement. Louis hopped to his feet and took the hand extended towards him. Emma got to her feet as well, but rather than immediately join her mother she threw her arms around Adrien’s leg and beamed up at him.

“Bye, Uncle Adrien!” She chirped, her green eyes crinkling at the corners. Beside him, Chloe stiffened and stared at the child. Her gaze flicked from one pair of green eyes to the next, taking in the near identical color, the identical grins on their faces as Emma released him and bounced over to join her mother. She thought back to six years ago when Adrien had confided in her about the girl who had captured his heart; the girl he was secretly searching for. Marinette. She hadn’t even considered it could be the same Marinette  _ she _ knew when she had gone to Gabriel Agreste and told him about his son’s efforts. All she had known back then was that Adrien was  _ hers _ and Mr. Agreste was the best way to end Adrien’s search. In retrospect, Mr. Agreste  _ had _ put a stop to his son’s efforts but he had never actually mentioned if he had discovered the girl’s identity. She hadn’t cared enough to ask. How old had Marinette said her brats were? Five years old? The timeline matched up and as she watched the trio leave, she realized that she would need to have another conversation with Gabriel Agreste as soon as possible.


	8. Valentine's Day Special; a Valentine's Day Proposal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> *looks at title* That should be pretty self Explanatory...

**ATTENTION READERS**

**I interrupt your regularly scheduled Fluff to bring you a special Valentine's Day One-Shot. Although this is placed in the storyline with the Adrien and Marinette you have all come to know and love in 'Love You Endlessly' it is NOT canon. It will NOT happen in the actual story. I mean, obviously, it will eventually but not this way. This is just a short, fluffy piece that I wanted to gift you all for Valentine's Day... or as I like to call it, Single's Awareness Day. Your regularly scheduled fluffiness will return soon but in the meantime, please enjoy Marinette and Adrien in 'A Valentine's Day Proposal'.**

 

It was a day like no other. Marinette Dupain-Cheng had always been a romantic at heart. Therefore it stands to reason that one of her favorite holidays might be Valentine’s Day. As a young girl, some of her fondest childhood memories were dressing up in a dress of pink or red, going to school, and passing out homemade Valentine’s Day Macarons. As she had gotten a little older, those memories had shifted to group outings with friends, and then awkward first dates and even more awkward first kisses. When Marinette had the twins, dating had all but ceased to have meaning. She still loved Valentine’s Day, of course. She would still dress up, spend the day slaving over the oven and deliver her homemade gifts to her friends. The day no longer had a romantic meaning, however. It became a time to spend with her family; to goof off and have fun and just be with her kids. That is until Adrien re-entered her life. Adrien Agreste, the man who up until half a year ago, had no idea he was the father of now six-year-old twins. The man who she had started dating two months ago, right around Christmas. The man who sent her heart aflame, her pulse aflutter, and made her nether regions tingle with the most innocent of touches. In all honesty, it was safe to say that Marinette Dupain-Cheng had it  _ bad _ .

The month of February began ordinarily enough. It was still cold and blustery, but more often than not the sun tried to make an appearance… even if it’s rays were too weak to completely wash away winter’s chill. Marinette knew Adrien was planning something. The hints were there, from the secretive conversations with Alya that stopped when she stepped into the room, to the way he would disappear at times with some poorly worded excuse or another. He was jumpier than normal too. Marinette was certain he had  _ something _ planned, but when the day in questioned arrived it seemed that whatever he had planned would have to wait. 

“I really am sorry, Adrien… Emma and Louis are really sick and I wouldn’t feel right leaving them with a babysitter,” Marinette explained, adjusting the cell phone so that she could hold it between her ear and shoulder while she poured Chicken Noodle Soup into two bowls.

“Are they okay? They don’t have a fever, do they? Should I come over?” Adrien had asked, worry clear in his voice. Marinette had smiled affectionately and silently berated herself for her silly anxieties because  _ of course _ Adrien wouldn’t resent her breaking up their plans at the last moment. He loved the twins just as much as she did.

“They’re fine. Pretty mild fever; you should enjoy the night. I can take care of the twins. Go have fun,” she had suggested because although she wanted Adrien there she hated to ruin his night with something like this.

“Marinette, I’m not going to have fun knowing you’re at home and the twins are sick. Really, I’d rather spend the evening with you guys,” he insisted. Marinette had sighed and turned away from the soup, leaning back against the counter as she worried her bottom lip between her teeth.

“I know, Adrien but you have all those meetings next week… what if you get sick?” She pointed out. On the other end of the line, Adrien sighed dejectedly.

“I guess you’re right…” He had said, and she could almost  _ see _ his crestfallen expression.

“I love you. You know that right? And I love that you’re so willing to drop everything to come hang out with me and the twins,” she said softly, hoping to cheer him up.

“I love you too, Mari. Give the twins a hug and kiss for me, okay?” Adrien had responded, sounding a little brighter and happier at her words. After that, they had signed off and Marinette had thought that was the end of it. The rest of the morning and afternoon were fairly quiet. The twins slept or watched Disney Movies for the most part and Marinette busied herself with cleaning and organizing. It was around 7 PM when she was just beginning to contemplate going to bed early when there was a knock at the door. Marinette hadn’t been expecting company. Her parents had closed the bakery early and gone out dancing; Alya and Nino were going to dinner and a movie, and the movie was going to start any minute. She didn’t have many other close friends and on Valentine’s Day, most of the friends she did have were going out with their significant others anyway. Nonetheless, she went to the apartment door and pulled it open. The first thing she noticed was the roses. A dozen perfect, burgundy red roses. They were utterly breathtaking, but not as breathtaking as the man holding them out. 

Marinette had known her boyfriend cleaned up well. In truth, he looked gorgeous all the time (hello, he  _ is _ a former model)l, but there was something about seeing him in a suit that drove the point home extra hard. The suit was black with a dark green undershirt and a brighter green tie. A single red rose sat in his breast pocket. His honey gold hair was stylishly messy, the way he knew she liked it, falling into his emerald green eyes as he flashed her a roguish smile.

“A-Adrien, what are you… I thought-” she trailed off as his smile widened and he stepped closer until he was looking down at her from his much greater height.

“You thought I’d leave the purrincess locked away in her tower all alone? What kind of Knight do you take me for, My Lady?” He asked, green eyes twinkling as they bore into her blue ones.

“But- but what if you get sick?” She fretted, wringing her hands worriedly. Adrien shrugged, clearly unbothered by the thought.

“Then I get sick, Mari. I’m a father, it kinda comes with the territory, right? Besides, this is our first Valentine’s Day together and just because we can’t go out doesn’t mean it can’t be perfect.” He said. Slowly, deliberately, Adrien took her limp hand in his and bowed at the waist to press a warm kiss to the back of her knuckles, his gaze never leaving hers. Her breathing hitched unsteadily and wordlessly she stepped back to allow him inside. The blonde man stooped to pick something up and it was then she noticed the large picnic basket he had with him. Curiosity piqued, Marinette followed Adrien back into the apartment, locking the door behind her.

Adrien wasted no time in entering the living room and setting the picnic basket on the coffee table before he turned, arms snaking around her waist as he pulled her to him. “I missed you,” he said quietly. Marinette barely had time to take a breath, let alone respond, before his mouth was on hers, lips dancing expertly across her own to elicit a soft, breathy whine. As soon as the kiss began, it was over. Adrien pulled back with an impish grin while Marinette lightly grazed her fingertips over her kiss-swollen lips, thoroughly dazed. The smile on her boyfriend’s face only widened. 

“I missed you, too,” she squeaked, cheeks blazing as she ducked her head, avoiding his all-too-knowing grin. Adrien chuckled and released her. He had a plan and although ravishing his beautiful girlfriend  _ might _ have to be added to the agenda, he had things to do first.

“Can you go get a couple of Wine Glasses while I set up in here?” Adrien asked, a secretive smile playing on his lips. “Maybe check on the twins while you’re at it?” 

“What exactly are you setting up, Mr. Agreste?” She asked, but the blonde haired man shook his head firmly.

“Secret. If I tell you, I’ll have to kill you and that’d be a shame.” He gave her a lascivious wink. Marinette arched a brow, but she didn’t argue. She decided to check on the twins first, padding down the hall and pausing by their door to listen in before slowly pushing it open. The room was dark and quiet save for the glow and low murmur of the television that sat in one corner of the room. The twins were fast asleep on the ground in front of the tv, curled up together like puppies. Marinette smiled fondly and entered the room, carefully picking up Emma to deposit her on the top bunk, before returning for Louis. When both twins were tucked in, she plugged in their nightlights and turned off the tv. She left the door slightly ajar in case they needed her. It was as she was passing the hall mirror that she realized she was in pajamas, and her hair was an absolute mess. She let out a startled shriek that she cut off abruptly with a glance at the Twin’s bedroom door. She had been going for comfort, and hadn’t expected Adrien to come by so she hadn’t bothered to dress in normal clothing or brush her hair…

“Marinette? Are you okay?” Adrien called, poking his head into the hall with a look of concern. “I heard you shriek.”

“I- um… YES! Yes, Adrien, I’m good. Great. Um, I- do you mind if I take a quick shower?” She said awkwardly, trying unsuccessfully to run her fingers through her tangled locks. Adrien followed the movements, his face relaxing into an amused smile.

“If you want but I think you look adorable, Bugaboo… bedhead suits you,” he said with another wink. Marinette flushed and averted her gaze. Someone was feeling  _ extra _ flirtatious today it would seem.

“I- I’m gonna take a shower. I’ll be back in a flash,” she said, turning to scurry into her own bedroom. Adrien watched her go with a half-grin before turning back to what he had been doing.

 

Twenty minutes later, Marinette stepped from the shower feeling incredibly refreshed. After a quick wash and condition, her long blue-black hair fell in soft waves around her bare shoulders and for once she opted to leave it down. She used a blowdryer to mostly dry her hair, leaving the rest to air dry while she pulled on her newest creation, a deep red and black dress. The dress was strapless, hugging her bosom and cinched at the waist with a black belt before flaring out into a full skirt. The dress was covered in black polka dots and the look was completed with a pair of elbow length black gloves and a pair of black heels with red soles. She was hesitant at going too over-the-top, so she kept her makeup to a minimum. A bit of mascara and some strawberry flavored lip gloss and she was done. Marinette took one last look at her reflection before leaving the bathroom and bedroom and heading back down the hallway. As she entered the living room, she froze. 

The room had been utterly transformed. The couch had been pushed back to the very far wall and was no longer sporting cushions. The dining room table had lost its chairs, which were now apparently being used to support the giant blanket fort in the center of the room. The lights were all off, but the whole room was given an ethereal glow from the fairy lights crisscrossing the top of the dark blue blanket that made up the roof of the fort. Inside the fort, the floor was covered in blankets and pillows. The couch cushions were being used as a table to prop up the laptop and the picnic basket. A grinning Adrien stepped into her field of vision, holding a glass of wine out towards her. Marinette blinked. She opened her mouth, tried to speak and couldn’t, licked her lips and tried again. “A-drien… w-what..? H-how..?” She whispered, bluebell eyes wide as she took in the enchanting sight of her living room. Adrien Agreste smiled shyly and slowly moved closer, cheeks tinged pink.

“I- I wanted everything to be perfect, Marinette. I know I’m no Prince Charming, and I know I can’t give you everything you deserve… but I want to try. Starting with tonight. I want everything to be perfect,” he explained, using his free hand to cup her cheek. His thumb brushed over the rise of her cheekbone and it was then that Marinette realized she was crying. Ducking her head in embarrassment, she quickly dashed away the tears before giving him a smile that could have rivaled the sun.

“You’ll always be  _ my _ Prince Charming,” she murmured, stretching up on her tiptoes to press a chaste kiss to his lips before accepting the wine glass. Adrien smiled softly down at her before his fingers laced with hers and he drew her into the blanket fort. Marinette settled among the pillows as Adrien draped a blanket over her shoulders. She sipped at her wine as he dug through the picnic basket, finally producing a small pile of DVDs and spreading them out before her.

“Take your pick, my Purrincess,” he said, and Marinette leaned forward to study the titles. With some amusement, she noted that they were all Disney Movies. She read the titles silently.  _ The Lion King, Oliver and Company, Bambi, Peter Pan, Lady and the Tramp, _ and  _ The Road to El Dorado _ . Grinning, Marinette tapped her finger on the last one. They were all great movies but  _ The Road to El Dorado _ was one of her favorites. Adrien contemplated the movie for a moment before nodding with a satisfied grin. “An excellent choice, Purrincess,” he said, packing the others away and sliding the chosen movie into the laptop’s DVD slot. As the opening credits began to roll, Adrien laid down on his side and, setting her now-empty wine glass aside, Marinette laid down and joined him. Adrien’s arm immediately curled around her midsection, drawing her back until her back was pressed against his front.

“This okay?” He asked, his chin resting atop her head.

“It’s perfect,” she promised, snuggling closer with a contented sigh before turning her blue eyes to the computer screen. As the movie ran its course, Marinette and Adrien snuggled and giggled, pointing out parts they liked and didn’t like. It was easy, relaxed. In short, it was perfect. Although his original plan of a movie followed by a romantic candlelit picnic would have been nice, Adrien was fairly certain that this was so much better. Halfway through the movie, he dug into the basket and pulled out a plate of chocolate covered strawberries. Marinette’s delighted squeal was well worth the expense of getting the treats from a rather high-end shop on the other side of the city. The rich chocolate mixed with the sugary sweetness of the fruit was an aphrodisiac in itself but coupled with the fact that they were several glasses deep into their wine bottle by that point and well, one thing led to another.

The first kiss was short and sweet. The second longer, slightly more heated. By the fourth kiss, Marinette had completely forgotten about the movie and instead squirmed around so she was facing Adrien. Their lips met once more. Marinette caught his bottom lip between her teeth, eliciting a soft gasp from the man. Adrien, in turn, ran his hands lightly up and down her sides. Through sheer force of will, he didn’t allow his hands to wander to less appropriate areas. He had a plan, a plan that he fully intended to execute tonight and his libido wasn’t about to stop him. In the end, it was probably good he was keeping himself in check because just as the kiss deepened, just as his resolve began to waver, the shuffle of feet broke through their haze of desire. Marinette and Adrien sprang apart, eyes simultaneously moving to the hallway.

Emma yawned, covering her mouth with one hand as she did so. The other hand was wrapped around Louis’, who was using his free hand to grind his fist into his sleep-laden eyes. The twins were still in their footie pajamas. Emma’s were pink with a white chest, the feet were done up to look like rabbit paws. If she turned around, you would see the fluffy white tail attached just above her tailbone. She wasn’t wearing the hood, but the bunny ears sticking out of it was just barely visible over her shoulders. Louie’s pajamas were nearly identical except they were black and rather than a rabbit, he was a black cat with a white belly and white ‘paws’. His cat ears were less visible but the black tail hanging from his backside to trail along the floor behind him was clearly visible. Marinette sat up, concern etched onto her face.

“Emma, Louie, you shouldn’t be out of bed,” she said, getting up and slipping from the fort. Adrien followed suit at a much slower pace.

“I want to lay with you, Mama,” Louie said, reaching for her. Marinette picked him up instantly and the child immediately wrapped his legs around her waist and his arms around her neck, burying his face in her throat as he did so. 

“Can we lay with you and Daddy?” Emma asked, and although she wasn’t usually the type to demand cuddles, in her fevered state she found herself reaching out to Adrien in much the same way Louie had reached for Marinette. Adrien picked her up and she rested her head on his shoulder, arms encircling his neck. Adrien glanced at Marinette, a question in his green eyes.

“Okay, but just for one movie,” Marinette said firmly, although there was a smile dancing across her lips as she glanced at Adrien. Luckily the children didn’t see it, and they murmured their agreement as they were carried back to the fort. By this time their movie was over and so Adrien put on  _ The Lion King _ while Marinette laid down on her stomach. Louie laid down beside her, and Emma beside him, and once the movie was set up and started, Adrien settled in beside Emma. This time, there was no talking, no flirting or kissing during the movie, lest they wake the twins who had already fallen asleep. When Marinette settled an arm over Louis, however, and Adrien settled his over Emma, inevitably their hands met in the middle and their fingers laced together. Secret smiles and adoring glances were exchanged and a thousand thoughts and feelings were conveyed without either uttering a single word. In that little bubble of space, Marinette felt her heart swell with love. She couldn’t imagine a more perfect Valentine’s Day than the one she was now sharing with the man she loved and the beautiful children they shared.

The movie ended, but for a while, neither moved. Adrien’s thumb traced gentle patterns on the back of Marinette’s hand and not once did their gazes waver from each other. Eventually, Adrien inclined his head indicating they should leave the fort and together they detangled themselves from Emma and Louis and stepped from the pillow fort. Adrien extended a hand, a smile playing on his lips.

“Dance with me, Marinette,” he requested, the light dancing off his incredibly green eyes. The woman’s mouth quirked and she arched a brow.

“There’s no music, silly kitty,” she teased, but when Adrien took her hand and drew her to him, she didn’t protest.

“We don’t need music,” Adrien said as he settled his arms around her waist. Marinette, in turn, looped her arms around his shoulders, fingers lacing behind his neck. As one, they began to move. At first, they just swayed, but when Adrien took one of her hands in his and settled the other on her hip, and when Marinette slid her free hand from his neck to his shoulder, they began to waltz around the room. In that moment, it was just the two of them. They didn’t notice the two sets of eyes, one blue as the sky and the other green as a rainforest canopy, watching them from the depths of the pillow fort, far more alert than they ought to have been. They didn’t notice (or perhaps they pretended not to notice) when those eyes shut and soft titters of playful disgust could be heard when Marinette and Adrien kissed lightly.

Adrien stopped their movement to sweep a lock of hair from the woman’s face. His green gaze bore into her sparkling blue one and his smile softened. “Marinette?” He asked quietly. Her mouth quirked up on one side.

“Yes, Adrien?” She asked.

“You know I love you, right?”

“You might have mentioned it a time or two.”

“I mean it. I love you more than the sun and the moon and all the stars in the sky. I love your laugh, I love your smile. I love you, and I love our children, and… and I love us.” He murmured, brushing away the tears that threatened to fall from her luminous eyes.

“I love us, and Marinette… I want us to be a family. A real family. I want to wake up beside you every day; I want to help get Louis and Emma ready for school in the morning. I want to make pancakes together, and I want to plan out meals.” He said, and this time he wasn’t fast enough to stop the tears as they tracked down her cheeks but that was okay because she was smiling and he knew they were tears of joy, of happiness.

“Adrien…” she whispered, and although by this point she likely knew where he was going with this, her eyes still widened when he slowly sank down to one knee and fished the black velvet ring box from his pocket. He kept his hold on one of her hands, while her other hand flew up to cover her mouth as she stared at him, unblinking.

“Marinette… I want to spend the rest of my days doting upon you and Emma and Louie. I know I can do that regardless of whether we’re married and I will. If you say no, that’s okay because I  _ know _ we haven’t been together for long and I  _ know _ it’s too soon but I fell in love with you the moment I met you and I don’t want anyone else. You’re my one and only, Marinette… and I would be extremely honored if you would marry me,” Adrien said, his eyes searching hers. For what seemed like an eternity but was in reality only a few moments, Marinette was silent. Tears tracked unbidden down her cheeks as her heart swelled far past what should have been physically impossible. When she had first had the twins, she had avoided dating because she had been afraid that if she gave her heart to someone else, it would take away from the love she had for her children. It turns out, she was wrong. If anything, her heart grew to accommodate the love she had for Adrien. She was nodding before she gave a conscious thought to do so, and when she spoke it was an exaltation of joy.

“Yes, Adrien,  _ of course _ , I will marry you!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have to be honest, this is actually based off my own personal fantasies in which I have always imagined that if/when a guy proposed to me, it would be on Valentine's Day and we would be doing something so silly and easy going like watching Disney Movies in a blanket fort and he'd pop the question and it would just be the most romantic thing ever. So... I hope you enjoyed my girlish fantasies haha


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which angst happens, Chloe's a controlling bitch and Emma finds out the truth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, my loves. I have to say it is SO GREAT to be back! Writing Chloe's POV I had horrible writer's block but, thanks to my beloved lil_fangirl27, I overcame my block through her amazing suggestions. I did have to take a few days off writing. I have been giving you a chapter basically every other day and while I am hoping to return to that frequency of posting, I did need to recover. 
> 
> @lil_fangirl27, OBVIOUSLY this is dedicated to you, bae. The phone call you suggested didn't happen as I didn't think it would fit in right now (you'll see why when you read Chloe's POV) but it is such a great idea and will definitely happen soon ;)
> 
> @everyone else; Take this! Get it out of my sight. It BROKE me I swear

Chloe Bourgeois was a lot of things. Vindictive. Malicious. Manipulative… Some might even go so far as to call her sadistic. She was not, however, stupid. Standing in the second-floor dining room of  _ Le Faison _ , Chloe watched her Fiancee as he stared after her self-proclaimed arch nemesis, Marinette Dupain-Cheng. The dopey grin, the longing look… Adrien Agreste had clearly not gotten over his six-year infatuation with the girl he had met in the bar all those years ago. If anything, his feelings seemed to have gotten stronger and that didn’t sit well with Chloe. Not one bit. If there was one thing Chloe Bourgeois hated above all else, it was sharing. She especially had no plans of sharing her Adrikiins. He was  _ hers _ and hers alone. She had worked too damn hard to let Marinette or any other girl come along and ruin her plans. She cleared her throat, drawing his guilty gaze to her.

“See something you like, Adrien?” She asked harshly, lip curling slightly in annoyance. Adrien visibly flinched and gave her an uneasy smile.

“I’m not sure I know what you mean, Chloe,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck with one hand. He did that a lot when he was nervous. It was such an obvious tic.

“That was her, wasn’t it? The girl from six years ago?” She asked, crossing her arms and tapping one foot in annoyance.

“Y-yes but Chloe it’s not-”

“Save it. You’re marrying  _ me _ , Adrien, not  _ her _ .  _ I _ have your father’s blessing and approval, not  _ her _ . Most importantly,  _ I’m _ the one you know and love. You don’t know anything about her, Adrien. You’d do well to remember that,” she turned on her heel and swept past her driver, who was still struggling under the weight of her purchases.

“Of course, Chloe,” Adrien said quietly behind her, falling silent as he trailed after her. The ride home was a silent one. Chloe sent her purchases home in her own car, but she chose to ride home in Adrien’s. They didn’t speak, didn’t even look at each other. Chloe knew if she pressed, Adrien would talk to her, fawn over her the way she liked, but she opted to leave him alone for the time being. Although her words were usually enough to control Adrien and his actions, there was one who’s words would fare even better. She just had to talk to him first. The trip back to the Agreste Mansion was a short one. Chloe waited expectantly for the driver to move around and open her door before stepping outside. Her own limo was parked nearby, her driver no doubt delivering her things to the room she shared with Adrien. She technically still had a suite at her father’s hotel, but staying with Adrien was so much more beneficial. Adrien didn’t say anything as he followed her into the foyer. He seemed rather lost in thought and with a surge of annoyance, she wondered if he was thinking about  _ her _ .

“Adrien, be a dear and go upstairs to draw me a bath? I’ve had a long day and wish to relax,” she said, turning towards the blonde man. His shoulders slumped but he nodded automatically. The sense of power she got from watching such a powerful and influential man obey her every command was heady. Intoxicating.

“Will you be accompanying me now or…?” He began hesitantly, glancing up at her. The guilt was still plain in his eyes and she latched onto that.

“No, I need a moment. I am still very disappointed in you, Adrikiins,” she said, affecting a tearful look. It had the desired effect. Adrien’s face crumpled with regret. He was such a bleeding heart, he couldn’t help but hate himself for hurting people. Especially people he cared about. She would be stupid not to fully exploit that silly trait of his.

“Chloe, please. She means nothing to me. I just- we were… it’s all work related, Chlo.” He reached for her and she deftly evaded his grasp, as if she couldn’t bear for him to touch her. She was enjoying this way too much. The way the worry of hurting her and the fear of abandonment mingled in his eyes; it was empowering and she ate it up like it was the world's finest chocolate.

“I don’t know Adrien… I feel like you’re going to leave me for her,” she whimpered, allowing a single tear to track down her cheek. Playing on his own weaknesses was always a surefire way of winning with him.

“Chloe, I’m not going anywhere, really. Look, why don’t I draw you that bath? And after that, I’ll make you a cup of tea and honey just the way you like it... put on some classical music to help you relax. It’s been a long day. Let me pamper you. You don’t need to worry about a thing, I’ll take care of everything,” Adrien pleaded, green eyes wide with hope. When he reached for her hand, she didn’t pull away and when he pressed his lips to her knuckles, she allowed herself to relax into him as if she couldn’t stay mad at him.

“Promise me you’ll never leave me, Adrikiins,” she whispered, blue eyes boring into his green eyes. “Especially not for her. I love you, Adrikiins. I don’t want to lose you.” For once, there was no hesitance when he responded.

“I promise, Chloe. I love you, too,” he said softly. Internally, she smiled to herself. The man was hers once more. Adrien pressed a quick kiss to her cheek before hurrying up the stairs towards his bedroom. She watched him go and as soon as he disappeared, so did her smile. Right, now onto business. Chloe ascended the stairs swiftly, but instead of taking a left at the first landing, she took a right. The Agreste Mansion was a massive place and it was easy to get lost if you didn’t know where you were going. Luckily, she had been roaming these halls since before she could walk. She knew exactly where Gabriel Agreste’s office was and she made her way there now, knocking firmly on the door when she arrived. It took a moment, but eventually, the door swung open and Chloe found herself staring into Nathalie Sancoeur’s piercing blue gaze. She swallowed slightly under the intimidating woman’s look.

“Miss Bourgeois? How may I assist you?” She asked immediately, arching one brow. It was the only outward sign she showed of her surprise at having the younger woman standing before her.

“Hello, Miss Sancoeur. I apologize for troubling you, but I was hoping to speak with Mr. Agreste?” She smiled her sweetest smile at the older woman, but judging by the droll look on Nathalie’s face, she wasn’t buying it in the least.

“Mr. Agreste is a very busy man, Miss Bourgeois. If you want to speak to him, you’ll need to make an appointment. Your engagement to Adrien does not change that. Now if you’ll excuse me-”

“Wait! It’s about Adrien, Miss Sancoeur,” Chloe blurted out, causing the woman to pause. Holding up one finger, Nathalie ducked back behind the door. The murmur of voices reached the blonde woman’s ears but she couldn’t make out what they were saying. After a few seconds, Nathalie pulled the door open and gestured for Chloe to enter. She did so without hesitance, sweeping past the older woman and entering the room. She stopped at the edge of Gabriel Agreste’s desk, waiting politely until he gestured for her to sit.

“Nathalie, please leave us,” Gabriel commanded, not looking up from the paperwork before him. The door clicked shut behind them and Gabriel finally looked up, blue eyes narrowed. “To what do I owe the pleasure, Miss Bourgeois?”

“I want to ask you about the girl Adrien was looking for six years ago,” Chloe said, getting straight to the point. Gabriel stiffened, eyes narrowing even more as he studied her.

“What about her, Miss Bourgeois?” He asked, straightening and folding his hands as he stared at her with the impenetrable gaze of his.

“Why didn’t you tell me it was Marinette Dupain-Cheng?” Chloe shifted uncomfortably. Across from her, Gabriel’s eyebrows inched upward.

“Tell me, how did  _ you _ discover her identity, Miss Bourgeois? I never told anyone except Nathalie,” he arched a brow.

“I- I saw them today. Marinette and Adrien were having lunch with-” Chloe broke off uneasily as a flash of rage flickered across Gabriel’s face.

“With?” He prompted impatiently.

“With Marinette’s children. Mr. Agreste are they-”

“Yes, Miss Bourgeois. Adrien has no idea and you’d do well to keep it that way. It would seem I need to have a discussion with Miss Dupain-Cheng. Remind her of her place,” he said with a heavy sigh. Chloe rose slowly but didn’t immediately leave the room.

“Is there anything I can do, Mr. Agreste?”

“Not yet, Miss Bourgeois. I might call on you for a favor if Miss Dupain-Cheng proves unwilling to listen to reason… but for now, you will leave things as they are.” He dropped his gaze back to his paperwork, effectively dismissing her. Chloe hesitated another moment before exiting the room and making her way back towards her own. As soon as she was out of sight of Gabriel and Nathalie, she allowed a smile to curve her lips. That had almost been too easy…

Back in the room, Gabriel tapped his fingers agitatedly before calling his assistant back in. This was bad. Very, very bad. He knew his son. Adrien could be a ditz at times, could be incredibly oblivious, but he had seen those children. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to see the familial resemblance. Sooner or later, Adrien would put two and two together if he continued seeing Marinette Dupain-Cheng and her children. Across the desk from him, Nathalie watched him, as cool and unflappable as always.

“What would you like to do, Mr. Agreste?” She asked, pulling out her ever-present tablet.

“Clear my next meeting,” Gabriel said decisively, waving her off as he reached for the phone on his desk. He had a phone call to make.

  
  


Across town, Marinette could have sighed with relief as she unlocked her apartment and pushed the door open. It was weird how easy being around Adrien Agreste had been. The fact that she hardly knew him, coupled with the fact that he was unknowingly the father of her children, meant things between them should have been hard and awkward, at least on her part. At the very least she should have felt uncomfortable. After getting over her initial discomfort, however, she had found being with Adrien was simple, easy. She would even go so far to say being around him felt natural and that scared her a bit. Getting close to Adrien Agreste was  _ not _ a good idea. If she got close to Adrien, she would eventually have to tell him the truth. She would have to tell him that she had been lying to him for the last six years. A lie of omission was still a lie. She had always believed that. Collapsing onto the couch, she watched as Emma and Louis scampered off, disappearing into their bedroom. They reappeared a few moments later, dragging their toy chest between them. Louis was grinning as they dragged the chest to the center of the room before throwing open the lid. The walk home seemed to do wonders for the little boy’s peace of mind and he was back to the sweet, bubbly boy she knew and loved. It was quite the relief. There were times when Louis would take days to come down from a bad panic attack but here he was, chattering with Emma as if nothing had happened only a few hours after the incident.

“He’s not  _ really _ our uncle,” Louis was saying, a frown furrowing his pretty blonde brows. From her perch on the couch, Marinette sat up a bit straighter as she tuned into their conversation.

“I  _ know _ , dummy. Neither is Nino!” Emma said, glaring at him as she fished around in the chest for her favorite doll.

“ _ Emilia _ ,” Marinette said automatically, earning a guilty look from her daughter.

“Sorry,  _ Maman _ ,” the child apologized instantly.

“Not to me,  _ Mon Petit _ ,” Marinette chided, arching a brow.

“Sorry for calling you a dummy, Louie,” Emma said a little too sweetly to be entirely believable. Louie responded by trying to discreetly stick his tongue out at his sister but stopped when he noticed the look his mother sent his way. He smiled and nodded angelically at his sister instead.

“It’s okay, Emma,” he assured, fishing out his remote control monster truck. Grabbing one of Emma’s old teddy bears, he slid it into the open top of the car.

“Besides, he said I could call him Uncle,” the little girl said, picking up the conversation as she snatched her teddy bear out of the truck with a frown. 

“Hey, I was using that!” Louis made a grab for the bear but Emma danced away with a smirk, the toy dangling over Louis’ head. With her greater height, he didn’t even bother trying to take it back.

“Use your own, Louie,” the black-haired girl retorted.

“ _ Maman _ !?” Louis wailed, turning big blue eyes towards the woman on the couch.

“Emma, don’t tease your brother. It isn’t polite. Louie, it’s her bear. Yours is on your bed,” Marinette smiled indulgently as the little boy beamed and bounced out of the room to find his teddy bear. While he was gone, the dark-haired woman turned a curious gaze on her little girl. “Emma, when did Adrien tell you that you could call him Uncle Adrien?”

“When you were yelling at Mr. Beaumont,” Emma didn’t look up from where she was trying to pull a doll dress over the teddy bear’s head. The dress was a size or two too small for the bear, and Marinette internally winced. The dress was going to rip if Emma didn’t give up her attempts soon.

“How- how did that come up? I thought you two were talking about your poem.”

“We were… but then I asked Uncle Adrien how he knew Uncle Nino and he told me and then he said if I wanted to, I could call him Uncle too,” Emma finally looked up, her green eyes wide with curiosity and something else… something Marinette couldn’t quite place her finger on. “Is Adrien our father?” 

Marinette sat up abruptly, blue eyes widening as they latched onto her daughter’s luminous green eyes. How Emma had come to such a conclusion was beyond her. Marinette had never mentioned Adrien before and yet… she knew better than anyone how intuitive the little girl was. She saw things that others didn’t. “Come here, Emma,” she said quietly, opening her arms to the child. Emma rose and immediately moved to join her, climbing unhesitatingly into her lap and looking up at her trustingly. Louis had yet to come back and it was a safe bet to say that he had found another toy to distract him in the bedroom. Perhaps that was for the best though. Having this conversation with one of the twins would be hard enough. Having it with both… well, she didn’t want to cross that road quite yet. If Louis was happy being oblivious to who his father was, who was she to change that?

“Is he,  _ Maman _ ? Is Adrien our father?”

“How- how did you figure it out,  _ Mon Petit _ ?” Marinette finally asked. Emma wasn’t stupid and Marinette couldn’t bear to lie directly to her face. Doing it when she had no idea who her father might be was one thing. Lying when she had already figured it out would only prolong the inevitable and ultimately wouldn’t be fair.

“Louie kinda looks like him… and I have his eyes… and when I asked how he knew you, he said he met you before I was born,” Emma finally explained. Marinette closed her eyes for a moment. It would seem her daughter was a lot smarter than she gave her credit for.

“I’m sorry I lied, Emma. It was easier at the time. I was going to tell you eventually.” Marinette said apologetically. Emma smiled and wrapped her arms around her mother’s neck.

“I know,  _ Maman _ ,” she promised. For a long moment, they laid like that, with Emma’s arms around Marinette’s neck and Marinette’s arms around the child’s waist. As it always did, cuddling with the little girl seems to ease Marinette’s deepest fears and worries and she was just beginning to relax when Emma spoke again. “Did Adrien not want us?” 

Marinette stiffened and didn’t respond, prompting the child to pull away and give her a worried look. “ _ Maman _ ? Did-”

“NO!” The word escaped before Marinette could stop it, causing both her and the little girl to jump in surprise. “No, no, no…  _ Mon Dieu _ ,  _ no _ , Emma. Don’t you  _ ever _ think that,” Marinette said fiercely. Emma blinked at her, confusion evident on her face.

“But why- why didn’t he-” Emma scowled as she tried to formulate her question.

“He- He doesn’t know about you, Emma,” Marinette said quietly, sitting them up and cupping her chin. “Emma, he doesn’t know and I know you’re confused but I had  _ very _ good reasons for not telling him.  _ Mon Petit _ , I know you want a daddy but I need you to do something for me. You  _ can’t _ tell Adrien what I just told you,” she said firmly, using her thumbs to wipe the confused tears that had gathered at the corners of the child’s eyes.

“But-”

“No buts. Emma, I need to you listen to me  _ very carefully _ . Adrien’s father, your grandfather, is a  _ very _ powerful man. He is  _ not _ a nice person and if Adrien finds out about you then your grandfather… he could… I could... Well, never mind that. The point is, it’s safer if Adrien doesn’t know. Do you understand?” Marinette searched her daughter’s wide and frightened green eyes. She hated scaring her child but in this instance, it was necessary.

“No… but I won’t tell him,  _ Maman _ ,” Emma said quietly.

“Promise me, Emma.  _ Promise _ mommy you won’t say a word,” Marinette insisted, refusing to relinquish the child’s gaze until she was satisfied. Emma nodded slowly before speaking.

“I promise,  _ Maman _ ,” she whispered. Marinette hesitated for a few more moments, but finally released the child when her phone started buzzing violently in her pocket. As Emma hopped up and returned to her toys, Marinette pulled out the phone and stiffened. She had been half expecting a call from Adrien. That would have been awkward, but bearable. But this number… despite not being saved under a name, sent chills down her spine. It was a number that hadn’t called her in the last four and a half years, but she remembered it regardless.

“Emma, go to your room,” Marinette said, earning a startled look from her daughter.

“But Mama,” she began.

“Do as your told Emma,” Marinette said, voice coming out far sharper than she intended. Emma blinked, seeming slightly shocked at her mother’s tone, before rising and leaving the living room. “Keep Louie in the bedroom and don’t come out until I tell you otherwise,” Marinette called after her, earning a soft word of agreement in response before the door clicked shut audibly. Marinette turned back to the device buzzing insistently in her hand and finally clicked accept, raising the phone to her ear.

 

**Five Years Ago**

Marinette Dupain-Cheng scowled across the Cafe table, her croissant left untouched in front of her. She was starving, and the scent of warm butter and fresh pastry was getting to her, but she wasn’t going to give Gabriel Agreste the satisfaction of watching her eat something he had ordered. The man in question sat across from her, blue eyes narrowed and fingers steepled as he watched her from his side of the table. It was late, almost eleven at night. Gabriel Agreste could hardly meet her out in public in broad daylight; that would tarnish his precious reputation. Originally, he had wanted to meet her at the Dupain-Cheng bakery but she had refused. He wasn’t going anywhere near her children. Not if she could help it. In fact, she had almost refused to meet him at all. This was the fifth time Mr. Agreste had called her to meet with him since that first meeting when he had demanded she abort Emma and Louis. How he had even gotten her cell phone number was beyond her. The second two times, he had insisted on abortion as well. Those had come mere weeks after the first meeting. When that proved fruitless, he had suggested adoption. In particular, an overseas adoption. He wanted the twins as far away from his son and the media as was physically possible, it would seem. Not that she had given into any of his demands. She had thus far stood firm and intended on continuing to do so.

“Eat.” Gabriel suddenly ordered, nodding at the pastry before her. Marinette’s scowl deepened and she crossed her arms, leaning back in the chair and glaring at him like a petulant child.

“Not hungry,” she retorted. See? She wasn’t giving into  _ any _ of his demands. Even if this one was totally reasonable given her growling stomach.

“Miss Dupain-Cheng, I am not your enemy here. You just gave birth to twins; you need to eat.” He said logically, although his reasoning was ruined by the cocky smirk on his lips. He  _ wanted _ her to give into him and she wasn’t about to give him the satisfaction.

“Mr. Agreste, did you drag me out here just to discuss my dietary needs or was there something else you wanted?” She asked harshly, sitting up so fast that the legs of her chair scraped loudly against the ground in protest. The few people in the Cafe glanced over curiously, causing the man across from her to stiffen before turning to glare at her.

“No, Miss Dupain-Cheng. I did not come here to discuss your dietary needs. I came here to discuss… what did you call them? Emilia and Louis?” He arched a condescending brow, clearly not approving of their names. Not that she gave a shit what he thought.

“How the fuck did you find out their names?” Marinette hissed, sitting up from her somewhat slouched position to glare daggers at the man across from her.

“It’s a matter of public record and besides… I am a very powerful man, Miss Dupain-Cheng. You’d do well to remember that.”

“Are you threatening me, Mr. Agreste?” Marinette arched a brow, earning an unamused smile in return. He shook his head sagely.

“I wouldn’t dream of it, Miss Dupain-Cheng. Especially considering you’ve recorded every single one of our conversations since our first meeting,” he smirked at her startled expression.

“How-”

“I am not an idiot and you are not discreet. Now, eat the Croissant and I will tell you why I called you here.” Gabriel frowned as she pointedly shoved the croissant away. “Miss Dupain-Cheng I-”

“Are you going to tell me why you dragged me out here or am I going home? I don’t have time for this today.” Marinette said flatly. Across from her, the man sighed and massaged the bridge of his nose with two fingers before finally inclining his head in acknowledgment.

“Very well. I would like to discuss the twins with you,” he sighed.

“The twins have nothing to do with you,” she hissed in response.

“As much as we both wish that were true, they are my grandchildren. You refused to remove the-” he broke off whatever he was about to say at the woman’s scowl and carefully amended his speech, “you refused to see reason on the matter. Whether I like it or not, the twins exist and you have refused to place them up for adoption.”

“What you want me to do is sell my children to the highest bidder. That isn’t adoption, it’s human trafficking,” Marinette snapped, voice rising slightly.

“You’d do well to keep your voice down, Miss Dupain-Cheng.” Gabriel’s face darkened and his pale blue eyes flashed with warning. Despite herself, Marinette felt unease curl into a hard ball within her at the look.

“What is it you want me to do this time?” She finally asked, her frown returning.

“As I was saying, whether I like it or not they are my flesh and blood and I would be remiss if I permitted my own flesh and blood to live in squalor,” Gabriel said with a small frown. Marinette arched a brow, looking mildly offended, but chose not to speak, instead allowing him to continue. “Since you refuse to get rid of the twins, I am willing to pay you a monthly stipend to ensure they are properly taken care of. For a price, of course,” Gabriel said with a shrug. Marinette snorted with dry amusement.

“This ought to be good,” she offered sarcastically.

“You and the twins will stay away from my son. You will not attempt to contact him in any way. You will tell no one of your involvement with my son or his relation to your children. Unfortunately, your parents know at this point and I trust you will ensure their silence as well. You will give these children a decent education. No grandchild of mine will suffer a poor man’s education. Furthermore you-” He stopped speaking when Marinette rose and grabbed her purse. “Where are you going, Miss Dupain-Cheng? I am not done.”

“I refuse.”

“You refuse?”

“I refuse your money. I refuse your demands. I refuse to sell my soul, or those of my children, to the devil. Have a good evening, Mr. Agreste.” She turned away but stopped, body going rigid when the man caught her wrist, halting her. “Release me or so help me I will  _ scream _ .”

“You will do nothing of the sort,” Gabriel growled, although he did release her before continuing. “Sit down, Miss Dupain-Cheng. I would like to discuss this like civil adults.”

“There is nothing  _ civil _ about demanding a woman kill her unborn children. There is nothing  _ civil _ about attempting to then sell those children to some seedy adoption agency. You are not a  _ civil _ man, Mr. Agreste,” she snarled, turning to glare at him. She seemed to glare a lot around him. Odd, considering every picture he had of her in the file he had obtained upon learning of her and Adrien’s affair had her smiling broadly, not a care in the world. He wasn’t sure he had ever seen her physically smile.

“Be that as it may, I am not done, Miss Dupain-Cheng.” He reached past her and, quick as lightning, grabbed the recording device sticking out of her purse. Marinette made a grab for it but Gabriel evaded her and shut the thing off, sliding it into his pocket.

“Give it back.” She said flatly.

“After I say my piece. Sit down, Miss Dupain-Cheng.” Gabriel arched a brow and after a moment, Marinette sat.

“Now, as I was saying you-”

“I still refuse. I don’t want your money. If you want me to stay away from Adrien, don’t worry. I wasn’t planning on telling him anything. You were right about one thing; Adrien is better off without me or the twins. I don’t want him in their life because he feels  _ obligated _ to take care of them and quite frankly, I certainly don’t want you anywhere near them. I give my silence freely; you will not buy it.”

“How do I ensure you do not go back on your word?”

“You trust me,” Marinette smirked.

“Impossible,” Gabriel scoffed.

“I don’t know what you want me to say, Mr. Agreste. I’m not taking your money.”

“Miss Dupain-Cheng, if you will not take the money, I will have to ensure your silence through other means,” Gabriel growled.

“What other means?” Marinette growled right back.

“I am a powerful man. I have money, connections, influence. Things you know not of. If I so choose, I could get Adrien full custody of the twins within a week.” Gabriel Agreste rose, but Marinette didn’t follow suit. She was frozen to her chair, mouth hanging open as she stared at the man leering down at her.

“You- you wouldn’t. That would require you tell Adrien… the  _ world _ ... about them…”

“Be that as it may, if it came down to it, I would do it. I can make the media view you as an unfit mother, Miss Dupain-Cheng. It wouldn’t even be hard. It is my word against yours and in the end, I will win and you will lose your children forever. I trust we understand each other? You will tell no one of your involvement with Adrien. You and the twins are to stay away from my son.” He tossed a twenty and the recording device on the table before arching a brow in her direction.

“I understand, sir,” Marinette said softly, squeezing her eyes shut against the burn of tears. The bell over the door jangled as Gabriel Agreste left the building, and in the quiet of the cafe, Marinette allowed herself to cry.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love you all! Comment, comment, comment! Also, cliffhangers with the phone call, yo ;)


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have to be honest, this chapter is LITERALLY designed to make you scream and I. Regret. NOTHING. Once I got over the writer's block it was so fun writing this chapter haha. Please don't kill me. You know I love you guys, right??

“Marinette…  _ Marinette _ … for the love of God, Marinette,  _ answer me so I know you’re okay _ !” The sound of the panicked voice broke through Marinette’s reverie, snapping her from the memory and jolting her back to the here and now. The raven-haired woman blinked, somewhat dazed as her eyes flickered around the apartment. Right. She wasn’t in a darkened cafe in the middle of the night. She was in her apartment, on the couch. It was the middle of the day and the sun was shining through the blinds of her sliding glass door, creating slats of light on the carpet. Around her, the apartment was silent save for the muted sound of a movie coming from the kids' room and the shrill voice currently threatening to break her phone’s speaker. Turning, she stared blankly at her phone as she tried to remember what she had been doing before she had been unceremoniously pulled into her memories. She had gotten a phone call… a call from a number that had sent chills down her spine. It had been  _ Gabriel Agreste’s _ number. That’s right. He had called and that must have triggered the memory of the last time she had seen him.

The voice coming through the speaker wasn’t Gabriel Agreste’s voice, however. This voice was warmer, richer, and although filled with fear it was a voice that sent butterflies aflutter in the pit of her stomach. “A-Adrien?” She asked timidly, uncertain if she was still locked in a daydream or if he was really on the other end of the line. There was a beat of silence on the other end of the phone and for a moment, she really feared she had imagined his voice until he spoke once again, relief coloring his tone.

“Marinette? Marinette, you’re  _ okay _ !” He breathed out on the other end of the line. The young woman swallowed thickly around the sudden lump in her throat.

“I- yeah, I’m okay, Adrien. I uh… I’m sorry if I scared you,” she murmured, keeping her voice low and muted. She felt that if she raised her voice, spoke at a normal volume, the moment would shatter and she would find herself once again locked in an unwanted memory.

“Are you sure? I’ve been calling your name for the past fifteen minutes, Mari. You haven’t answered me once,” he hedged cautiously. Internally, Marinette winced. It wasn’t the first time she had zoned out like that; it wasn’t even the longest she had zoned out… but it was the first time she had zoned out on the phone. It  _ was _ the first time someone had bore witness to her insanity. Normally when she zoned out it was late at night and she was home alone where people didn’t have to worry and freak out at the catatonic state she would slip into.

“I... it’s complicated,” she offered lamely, reaching up to tug nervously at a strand of her dark hair. On the other end of the line, Adrien fell silent. Marinette waited with bated breath for him to speak; to say something, get angry at her lack of an explanation… When he released a breathy sigh, she physically braced herself for the anger, the shouting, the accusations. In short, she braced herself for him to act how Gabriel Agreste might in such a situation. Adrien didn’t do any of those things, however. He just sighed before speaking in the same warm, even tone he had used before.

“Alright… if you’re sure…” He said slowly.

“I am,” she assured him, quietly relieved.

“Okay, then… how are the kids?” He asked, changing the subject. Marinette smiled gratefully and rose, shifting the phone to settle between her ear and shoulder as she headed down the hall to check on the kids in question.

“Okay from the sounds of it… hold on, I’m gonna check on them now-” she pulled the phone from her ear as she opened the door to the twins’ room and poked her head inside. Emma and Louis didn’t even look up at her intrusion, their eyes glued to the television as on the screen Peter Pan, Jane, and the Lost Boys started their Scavenger Hunt. They were watching  _ Peter Pan 2; Return to Neverland _ , one of her favorites. Backing out of the room, she left the door slightly ajar and moved further down the hall to her own bedroom. Only when she had reached the sanctuary of her room did she return the phone to her ear.”Yeah, they’re fine. They’re watching the sequel to  _ Peter Pan _ ,” she explained as she crawled onto her bed and flopped onto her stomach.

“Oh, that’s a good one. Almost better than the first one,” Adrien said, and Marinette was certain that she detected a hint of a grin in his voice.

“It’s one of my favorites,” she admitted with a grin of her own.

“You have great taste in movies,” he complimented a bit too warmly. Marinette felt herself sober slightly. She had to silently remind herself why getting chummy with Adrien Agreste wasn’t a good idea but, to be honest, she was starting to question her reasoning. Clearing her throat, she changed the subject.

“So uh, what number are you calling from?” She asked, immediately wincing at her choice in subject changes. That hadn’t been the question she was going for but her brain and her mouth were apparently disconnected at the moment. Adrien seemed to have that effect on her.

“Oh uh, the house phone. Chloe is a bit nosy so I decided to use the phone in Nathalie’s office. She’s-” he broke off as Marinette spoke up.

“Your father’s assistant. We’ve met,” Marinette said dryly. “How  _ is _ Chloe? She didn’t seem very happy about us having lunch together.”

“Chloe is okay. She’s… she’s the jealous type but then, I’m sure you already knew that. I assume you’re the one she went to school with? The one she calls-” he stopped speaking once more as Marinette once again interjected.

“Maritrash? Yeah, that would be me,” she said humorlessly. “She’s been calling me that since we were… I don’t know, six or seven years old?” 

“Wow, you’ve known each other a long time… almost as long as I’ve known her,” Adrien said with surprise.

“Yeah, and we’ve never gotten along in all those years,” the woman pointed out with a slight grimace on her face.

“Chloe… she’s hard to understand. She isn’t so bad once you get to know her,” the man offered, trying hard to defend the one he was engaged to. Marinette made a noncommittal sound and rolled onto her back, keeping the phone pressed to her ear with one hand as she sprawled the rest of her limbs out across the bed and stared up at the ceiling. “Anyway, I did call for a reason,” Adrien said suddenly, choosing once again to change the subject.

“Oh? And here I thought you just called to hear my voice,” Marinette quipped, lifting her free hand to stifle the yawn threatening to break free. She was rewarded for her jest with warm, rich laughter filling the phone line.

“Cute. No, actually I wanted to see when was a good time to get together to discuss the project some more? We didn’t really have a chance to go over it earlier so…” Adrien trailed off awkwardly. Oddly, it almost felt like he was asking Marinette out on a date but that was ridiculous. He was engaged and even if he wasn’t (which he  _ was _ ) she didn’t really seem interested in him anyway.

“I know, I’m adorable,” Marinette intoned jokingly before mulling over his question. “It’s Monday now… maybe Thursday or Friday? I think I’m going to keep Emma and Louis home the next day or two before I send them back to school,” she said thoughtfully.

“You could always bring them with you,” Adrien offered hopefully. He liked Marinette’s children. The other end of the line fell silent for a long moment and for a second, Adrien was afraid he had been hung up on.

“You… you could come to my apartment… if you want. The kids would be more comfortable here,” she finally said in a quiet voice. Adrien frowned slightly. There was something in her tone, something that seemed odd and out of place but he couldn’t precisely say what it was. Guilt, perhaps? Reluctance? That didn’t make sense though. What did Marinette have to be guilty or reluctant about?

“Uh… yeah, alright… say… tomorrow? Around noon?” He finally asked uncertainly.

“Tomorrow at noon,” Marinette confirmed after a moment.

  
  


The conversation didn’t last much longer than that. They spoke a bit about potential ideas for the project but around the time Marinette yawned for the fourth or fifth time, he decided to let her go. It was pretty obvious that the day's events had exhausted her both physically and mentally and, after confirming the time they would meet up tomorrow once again, he signed off. The sudden absence of Marinette’s voice was weirdly depressing but Adrien opted not to dwell on the reasons why that was. If he did, he might start questioning things like his relationship with Chloe and he wasn’t certain he was ready to answer any of the questions that might arise if that were to happen. Rising from the desk chair, he left the office. The phone call had taken much longer than he had originally intended and he thanked his lucky stars that Nathalie hadn’t returned to the office while he had been talking to Marinette. That would have been a bit hard to explain. Adrien returned to the foyer and ascended the stairs, taking a left at the first landing and heading down the hall towards his overly spacious bedroom.

The room hadn’t changed much since he was in middle school. The rock wall and basketball hoop still occupied one wall, and he still had a wall of books, games, and movies on the second floor of his room. The white couch had been replaced by a chocolate brown sectional, the posters replaced by actual art, and the foosball table had been replaced with a pool table. He had gotten rid of most of his gaming machines, although he still had a few PC games. When Chloe had essentially moved in, she had attempted to redecorate but on this, Adrien had stood firm. He liked his room the way it was. It was one of the few arguments he had ever actually won with his bride-to-be. Speaking of Chloe, he glanced around the room but she was nowhere in sight. She was probably still in the bath and for that, he was grateful. Raking a hand through his tousled blonde hair, Adrien crossed the room to the pile of bags and boxes currently sitting on his couch. Shoes, dresses, shirts, and pants; makeup and jewelry… Chloe had clearly gone overboard on her purchases that day. Plagg was so going to owe him for this. His father was going to  _ murder _ him for giving Chloe free range of his ‘emergency only’ credit card. Granted, it kind of had been an emergency. She  _ had _ been trying to murder his cat.

As if summoned by his thoughts, Plagg suddenly dragged himself from under Adrien’s bed with a piteous meow and made his way across the room. Adrien watched in bemusement as the black creature wound his way around his legs, meowing all the while. “You really don’t deserve a treat. Because of you, Chloe had a field day with my credit card,” he pointed out sourly. Plagg meowed pitifully in response and with a sigh, the man crossed the room to the mini fridge he kept under his desk. Plagg followed, his meow becoming more excited as his owner knelt to open the fridge. Wrinkling his nose, Adrien pulled out a slice of Camembert cheese and offered it to the cat. Plagg immediately inhaled the treat as if it were a delicacy, even going so far as to lick Adrien’s fingers clean afterward. The cat was a definite cheese-a-holic. He wasn’t sure where the cat’s love of cheese had come from, but he was very much obsessed. Especially with stinky Camembert. 

With his cat fed and satisfied, Adrien crawled into bed as a sudden wave of vertigo hit him. With a yawn that reeked of old cheese, Plagg hopped onto the bed and curled up by Adrien’s stomach. Despite the residual stench of his cat’s midday snack, Adrien found himself curling around the cat, stroking his soft fur methodically. Plagg began to purr, the sound rivaling that of a motorboat, and before long the pair fell headlong into a deep, dreamless sleep that not even Chloe’s annoyed hiss at seeing the cat on the bed could disturb.

  
  


Gabriel Agreste replaced the phone receiver, a thoughtful expression gracing his features. That had been… unexpected. When he had picked up his office phone, he had fully intended to call the Dupain-Cheng girl and scare her off from his son once again. He certainly hadn’t expected to find that Adrien was already on the phone with her, nor had he expected to find them speaking with such familiarity with one another. Just how long had Adrien been in contact with the girl? What was the project they were speaking of? He was certain he hadn’t agreed to a project with the wannabe fashion designer. More importantly, did Adrien know about Emilia and Louis being his children? It was doubtful. If Marinette had told him he was their father, she would have also told Adrien that he knew about them. That he had tried to have her get rid of them. His son wouldn’t just let that go. It was part of the reason Gabriel was determined his son never find out about his bastard children.

“Nathalie,” he said sharply, lifting his pale blue gaze to where his assistant stood quietly near the door, her face expressionless. Nathalie turned her darker blue gaze to his lighter one and automatically stepped forward at the sound of her name.

“Yes, Mr. Agreste?” She asked expectantly.

“Set up an appointment with the Brun Brothers. The eldest two, to be exact,” he said, waving one hand dismissively as he turned back to the tablet on his desk. He scanned the latest designs he had been emailed for the upcoming Winter Collection but paused when he realized his assistant had made no move to leave the room. Lifting his eyes, he arched one brow. “Is something the matter, Nathalie?”

“Are you quite certain the  _ Brun _ Brothers are the correct course of action, Sir? Miss Dupain-Cheng isn’t a bad person,” she said cautiously.

“I won’t allow them to  _ hurt _ her. They just need to scare her; drive home my point,” Gabriel said impatiently. “Why do  _ you _ care what happens to her, Nathalie?”

“Mr. Agreste, with all due respect, Marinette is a nice young woman. She is a promising fashion designer and has worked hard to provide for her children,  _ your _ grandchildren. I just think your course of action is a bit too… harsh,” she explained warily.

“I don’t pay you to think, Miss Sancoeur. I pay you to do as you’re told. Miss Dupain-Cheng is a threat. The longer she is permitted to hang around Adrien, the more likely it is that he will discover the secret I’ve worked so hard to protect him from.” Gabriel growled, his voice a quiet threat.

“Are you really protecting him, though? Adrien would have loved those children more than life itself. He still would. Perhaps he deserves to know the truth,” Nathalie challenged. Gabriel’s eyes darkened and slowly he rose to glare at his assistant.

“That is enough. Adrien will know nothing of these children and you will do as you’re told. I know what’s best for my son and these children are  _ not _ it. Are we clear?” He snarled, glaring at the woman across from him. For a moment, Nathalie stubbornly held his gaze but after a moment, her gaze dropped and she gave a curt nod. Turning on her heel, the slender woman stalked out of the room without another word. Gabriel watched her go, blue eyes narrowed with rage. Marinette Dupain-Cheng had trifled with him for the last time. It was bad enough she had steadfastly refused his demands; now she had turned his ever faithful assistant against him. He would be damned if he allowed her to do the same thing with his son. Marinette Dupain-Cheng needed to be removed from the equation, one way or another, and the Brun Brothers were undoubtedly the best way to get it done.

  
  


At twelve on the dot the next afternoon, there was a knock on the door. Startled, Marinette Dupain-Cheng glanced at the clock above the stove in a panic. The morning had been hectic, to say the least. She had awoken late and had to scramble to dress the twins and make breakfast before dropping Emma off with her friend, Zoe, a few buildings over. Zoe was homeschooled and with this rare weekday off, Emma had spent half the night needling and begging until Marinette had given in and called the girl’s mother, Sara Chanel, asking if an impromptu playdate was possible. Sara had been more than happy to oversee the playdate and in retrospect, it meant that Marinette only had to worry about soft-spoken Louis while she and Adrien worked on their project. Still, it had caused a lot of running around and scrambling on Marinette’s part which had clearly caused her to lose track of time. She glanced down at her arms which were currently elbow deep in a sink of soapy water, and then glanced at the child quietly drawing at the kitchen table. She bit her lip, hesitating, but another knock on the door prompted her to speak up.

“Louie, baby,” she called softly. Immediately wide blue eyes shifted from his drawing to his mother and he blinked in silent question. “Can you go let Adrien in, sweetheart?”

“Okay, Mama,” the boy said without fuss. Marinette blinked, startled by his easy agreement, as Louis slid from his chair and disappeared around the corner. Louis crossed the living room and stretched up on his tiptoes to unlock the door and pull it open. When it was open, he rocked back on his heels and blinked up at the man standing in the doorway. Louis tipped his head to the side and silently studied the man before him, thinking about the conversation he had heard between his mother and Emma the day before. It made sense, in a way, that Adrien was their father. Physical attributes aside, Louis would be lying to himself if he didn’t admit to being drawn to the man from day one. Sure, he had never actually spoken directly to the man, but that didn’t mean he hadn’t watched him from afar. His mother seemed to like him well enough; Emma had certainly taken to him as well. That meant that surely he wasn’t a bad person. Right?

“Hello, Louis,” Adrien greeted quietly. Louis jumped and blinked, wide-eyed, up at the man before him like a deer in headlights.  _ Oh… _ Oh, crap, now Adrien was talking to him. He knew he ought to say something, but words failed him and in the end, they just sort of stood there awkwardly until Marinette rounded the corner, drying her hands with a dish rag. She paused, looking between them speculatively before speaking.

“Louie, darling, can you let Adrien  _ inside _ please,” she emphasized gently. Louis took one more look at Adrien, at his  _ father _ , before turning and fleeing to the sanctity of his mother’s legs. Marinette glanced down at him bemused before turning to smile awkwardly at their guest. “Come on in, Adrien,” she said, dropping one hand down on top of her son’s head. The child leaned into the touch, blue eyes never leaving the blonde man as he stepped into the entryway and shut the door behind him.

“Hey, Marinette. Um… thanks for inviting me over…” Adrien offered, suddenly finding himself rather unsure of what to do with, well,  _ himself _ . Another awkward silence ensued before Marinette forced her smile back into place and beckoned for him to join her as she headed back towards the kitchen. Adrien trailed after her, his eyes flickering about as he took in her apartment. Although thirty times smaller, Marinette’s apartment was about a hundred times homier than his father’s mansion. The entrance hall was lined with photos depicting the twins growth. There were pictures as early as their first day home, where Marinette looked exhausted and sleep deprived but still showed the glow of pregnancy. There were first birthday pictures, where Louis was teary-eyed and covered in cake and frosting and Emma was equally covered in cake and frosting but grinning broadly. 

There were pictures of them as toddlers, pictures of them with Marinette, pictures with whom he presumed to be her parents, pictures with Alya and Nino and their children. In almost all of the pictures, everyone looked so happy. Sure, there were a few where Louis looked uncomfortable and on the verge of tears, there were a few where Emma was clearly throwing a temper tantrum, but for the most part, the twins were happy and grinning alongside their family and friends. Even Louis, in most of the pictures, had a look of unbridled joy on his face. It was a look Adrien guessed few people were privileged enough to witness. Adrien leaned closer to one picture in particular. It was a candid shot of Marinette and the twins at a beach. They were standing in the water up to the twins knees. Marinette was in a one piece, navy blue and black swimsuit, a large floppy hat on her head. She was holding the hat in place with one hand, the other clasped around Louis’ hand, her head thrown back with laughter. Louis (wearing a black tee-shirt and neon green swim trunks) and Emma (in a pink and white striped swimsuit) stood on either side of their mother, wide grins gracing their faces as they stared up at their mother with raw adoration. It was a beautiful picture, and judging by the quality he had to say Alya was probably the photographer. They all looked so happy and carefree.

“Right after that was taken, we were all knocked over by this huge wave. It just came out of nowhere and wiped us out,” Marinette said, suddenly appearing beside him. Adrien glanced at her to find she was looking at the picture with a fond smile on her face. Louis had disappeared.

“Louis looks so happy here,” Adrien commented, lifting a hand so that his fingers hovered just above the image of the little boy. He didn’t touch the frame, for fear of getting fingerprints on the glass. Glancing down, he asked the question that had been nagging at him from the moment he had met the twins. “Has he always been this shy?”

Marinette pursed her lips thoughtfully and for a moment, Adrien wasn’t sure if she would answer him. Eventually, however, she gave a slow nod. “Yes and no…” She said, frowning slightly. Adrien mirrored her frown, though he was a touch more confused.

“What do you mean?”

“Louis was always quiet; even when he was a baby. Emma was rather colicky. She cried almost constantly and if not for my parents, I don’t think I would have ever gotten any sleep. Louis, by comparison, rarely ever made a peep. He was always a very… oh, what’s the word I’m looking for? He was always so… solemn? Yeah, he was a very  _ solemn  _ child. I’ve never met a baby as serious as he always was. I guess it was his way of compensating for his twin? She was the loud one, and he was the quiet one…” She lifted her shoulders into a slight shrug and Adrien’s frown deepened.

“That… doesn’t really explain your answer,” he points out. She grimaces slightly.

“It’s hard to explain… Yes, Louis is a shy child when it comes to people he doesn’t know. He was never a social kid but… but he’s also one of the most compassionate kids I’ve ever met. Louis may be shy but if he sees someone who’s having a bad day, his first instinct is to comfort them. It’s like his social anxieties melt away when he’s helping others,” she explained, a soft smile curving her lips.

“That’s pretty impressive, given his age,” Adrien commented, glancing towards where the five-year-old had disappeared.

“It is. Louis doesn’t talk much but he  _ does _ listen. He listens to everything around him and just soaks up all the information like a sponge. He is incredibly intuitive and intelligent. Sometimes I wonder if he has a photographic memory. Even when he seems completely closed off, he still seems to soak up everything around him,” she beckoned for him to join her and continued down the hall into the living room. Adrien found he liked her apartment. It was a warm and friendly environment with an open floor plan. The living room was large and comfortable, open to the kitchen and dining room. Louis was back at the kitchen table, his tongue sticking out slightly as he concentrated on his drawing. The pair approached quietly and the child’s gaze flicked up briefly before focusing back on his coloring book.

Adrien came to a stop behind the chair and studied the drawing. The coloring book had a bunch of superheroes from a kids show he had heard Nino’s kids talking about. It was called  _ Miraculous; Tales of Ladybeetle and Chatte Noire _ and from what he understood, it followed the lives of two middle school students Marin Cheng and Adrienne Agrete as they juggled double lives as normal teens and teenage superheroes. The picture was of the male superhero, Ladybeetle, who wore a skintight red suit covered in black polka dots and a matching mask. Unsurprisingly, Louis’ coloring was flawlessly in the lines, not a smudge out of place.

“That’s pretty, darling,” Marinette said, raking her fingers lightly through the boy’s blonde hair. He made an unintelligible sound of acknowledgment but didn’t look up from what he was doing. “Adrien and I are going to work on a project in the living room. You’ll tell me when you want lunch, won’t you?”

“Yes,  _ Maman _ ,” Louie finally glanced up, gaze flicking from his mother to Adrien. His gaze lingered on the blonde haired man a touch longer than was normal, particularly for him, before returning to his coloring. Marinette stared at the child for a moment longer before leaving him to his coloring and leading Adrien back to the couch where she had left several of her sketchbooks.

  
  


The rest of the afternoon passed in a blur. Adrien had never really been part of the designing process before, much less the early stages, and he found he enjoyed it. Watching Marinette work was fascinating. Like Louis, her tongue stuck out whenever she was concentrating really hard and the effect was endearing. He also noted, with some surprise, that Marinette could be extremely critical of her work despite her obvious talent. She didn’t typically come off as a perfectionist but when it came to designing, she clearly was. Sketches he would have deemed more than satisfactory were discarded and redone, and impressively she somehow managed to improve upon her design every time without fail. She was definitely an impressive artist and designer and once again, Adrien found himself wondering how she and his father had gotten off on such bad terms. Gabriel Agreste wasn’t typically the type to allow raw, natural talent to slip through his fingertips and Marinette Dupain-Cheng had raw natural talent in spades.

It was around two when they took a break for lunch. Marinette kept things simple with grilled cheese sandwiches and bags of chips. It was nothing spectacular or fancy, but Adrien found he enjoyed it far more than he enjoyed eating what his private chef made. After lunch, the returned to their work while Louis settled on the living room floor with a few toy cars. Eventually, they settled on a few potential designs. A dove gray three-piece suit with a white undershirt and red tie; a knee-length strapless dress with a red bodice and a sparkly silver skirt; another knee-length dress with a black bodice, short sleeves, and a deep green and black skirt that flares out into a series of overlapping green and black ruffled layers; a floor length evening gown in a deep magenta color with a sweetheart neckline and thin straps. Each design showed definite promise although Marinette was insistent that something was missing for one or two of them. It was around four in the afternoon, as they were working on another suit design, that her phone rang and Marinette blindly groped around on the seat beside her to grab it.

“Hello,” she mumbled distractedly, her eyes never leaving the sketchbook before her. There was a beat of silence before she spoke again. “Oh, Sara… Emma and Zoe had a fight? That’s not good… uh, yeah, I can come pick her up… Okay… Yeah, I’ll be over soon.” She hung up and set the sketchpad aside, a frown furrowing her brow.

“Everything okay?” Adrien asked worriedly, rising as she did. Marinette didn’t look too terribly stressed so that was probably a good sign, he supposed.

“What? Oh, yeah… Emma had a fight with her friend so I have to go pick her up. Do you… do you wanna stay here until we get back?” She glanced up uncertainly.

“Yeah, I don’t mind,” he assured her with an easy going. She smiled, relieved, and he was secretly glad that she seemed as reluctant to end their time together as he was.

“Great. Louis, can you get your shoes on so we can go get Emma?” She turned to the child laying in the middle of the floor.

“I wanna stay here,” the child intoned, not looking up. Marinette blinked, surprised at this. That wasn’t like Louis…

“Are… are you sure?” She asked, confused and hesitant. She was certain Louis didn’t know Adrien was his father so she wasn’t worried about him spilling the beans but at the same time, leaving them alone together was a bit nerve-wracking Louis glanced up and looked between Adrien and his mother before nodding.

“I want to stay with Uncle Adrien,” he said casually. Marinette and Adrien shared a startled look at the child’s response.

“Um… okay? Is… I mean are you… do you  _ mind _ watching him, Adrien? It shouldn’t take more than fifteen minutes…” the ravenette finally asked, blue eyes searching his green ones. Adrien shrugged.

“I don’t mind. Go pick up Emma. Louis and I will be here when you get back,” Adrien promised with a sunny smile. Marinette hesitated briefly before nodding, grabbing her purse and phone, and heading for the entryway. Moments later, the door opened and shut behind her and Adrien found himself alone, with Louis.

  
  


Louis Dupain-Cheng couldn’t tell you what possessed him to ask to stay with Adrien while his mother went to get his sister. He also wasn’t sure what possessed him to call the man ‘Uncle Adrien’ either, especially when he had yet to actually speak directly to him. It was silly, but he couldn’t bring himself to regret his decision. Louis watched his mother hurry off, listened for the sound of the door shutting behind her. He waited a few beats in silence, half expecting her to return, but she didn’t and after another moment or two, he got to his feet and turned to face his father. Louis stared silently at Adrien for a moment. He could tell the older man was uncomfortable under his intense blue gaze. Despite his youth, Louis had that effect on people. After a moment, he dropped his gaze slightly and spoke.

“Hi,” he said simply. Glancing back up, he saw the blonde haired man blink, startled by the sudden greeting, before mentally scrambling for a response.

“Um… hi,” Adrien Agreste responded slowly.

“Do I make you uncomfortable?” Louis asked, curious as he took in the way Adrien seemed incapable of sitting still. The movements were almost imperceptible to the untrained eye, but Louis spent a lot of his time watching people and he was quite good at reading body language. The way Adrien’s gaze refused to settle on any one thing for longer than a few seconds, the way he shifted his position ever so slightly before almost immediately returning to his previous position… all of these things screamed nervousness.

“No,” Adrien said immediately.

“You’re lying,” the child responded simply, crossing the space between them and pulling himself up to sit on the couch as well. Adrien glanced at him, bemused, and the boy shrugged. “I can tell.”

“How?”

“By watching you. People tend to look to the left or right when they’re lying,” he explained thoughtfully.

“I’m more surprised than anything else... “ Adrien finally admitted.

“Because I’m talking to you?”

“Yes…”

“You aren’t as scary as most people I meet,” Louis said thoughtfully.

“I’m glad to hear it,” Adrien said, grinning suddenly. Louis felt a similar expression tugging his lips up and before he knew it, they were both laughing away the awkward tension that had settled between them previously

“Do you like cartoons?” Louis asked curiously.

“Love them,” Adrien promised warmly. The child grinned, something he found was becoming increasingly easier to do around the man and hopped up to grab the remote. When he returned, rather than crawl onto the couch, he held his arms out expectantly to Adrien and when he was settled on the man’s lap, he flipped on the television and found a cartoon called ‘The Lion Guard’ to watch. That was how Marinette and Emma found them fifteen minutes later when they returned home. Louis and Adrien were fully engrossed in the tv show, not noticing the girls’ arrival at first as they laughed together on the couch. Marinette stared at them, feeling her heartstrings tug painfully as she watched her son interact so freely with his father. She had never seen Louis act like this with anyone outside their immediate family. Even with Nino, there was always a bit of reservation in the way Louis interacted with him.

Louis looked up, suddenly sensing their presence, and with a grin, he hopped up and launched himself across the room. “Mama, you’re back!” He cried excitedly, grinning as she caught him up in a hug. Wrapping an arm around her neck, he gestured excitedly back towards Adrien with a wide grin. “Mama, Uncle Adrien likes ‘the Lion Guard’ too!” He said.

“That’s great, lovebug,” Marinette forced out around the sudden lump in her throat. Tears burned at the back of her eyes as she stared at the man who had unknowingly sired her children and suddenly, the overwhelming urge to tell him everything consumed her. She realized then, with startling clarity, that Adrien Agreste would have made an amazing father. He would never have abandoned her in her time of need and she really ought to have given him more credit but she had been young and scared and his father… his father had made it impossible for her to even consider the possibility of her telling him the truth. But Gabriel Agreste wasn’t here right now. It was just her, Adrien, and the kids and God, she  _ wanted _ to tell him. Badly. It was like a physical pain. Like if she didn’t tell him the truth, she would implode.

“Mama… are you okay?” Louis asked, jarring her from her thoughts. Marinette blinked to find three sets of worried eyes locked on her face and she swallowed, hard, before nodding.

“Yes, baby, I’m fine. Listen, can you and Emma go play in your room for a bit? Uncle Adrien and I have to talk,” she said slowly. Louis nodded mutely and when she set him down, he and Emma scampered off without protest, the door shutting behind them with a resounding  _ click _ . Marinette swallowed hard in the sudden silence filling the living room and blinked cautiously at the man across from her. He looked concerned and confused, but when he met her gaze he smiled warmly and patting the spot beside him encouragingly. Marinette shook her head, remaining where she stood, earning a worried look for the man across from her.

“Marinette? Is everything okay?” Adrien rose to move towards her but froze when she held up a hand, silently keeping him at bay. When she spoke, her voice was soft and pained, but filled with conviction.

“Adrien? I… I have something I need to tell you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> #SorryNotSorry ;)


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which, angst is a thing that happens... a lot...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> #SorryNotSorry #YouBroughtThisOnYourselves #ThisIsWhatYouGetForCallingMeOutOnMisleadingCliffhangers
> 
> Another 6000+ Word Chapter xD
> 
> For those of you who won the contest, I promise your stories will be posted soon. I actually just started this on Thursday night. I went from 12hrs a week at work to 35hrs (after being told I would be given 24, not that I am complaining haha) and my Service Dog also went missing Monday night for a few hours after he escaped our yard. He's back home and safe but that seriously messed me up and I'm still recovering mentally from that anxiety fest. But I am really happy with how this chapter turned out haha

“Adrien? I… I have something I need to tell you.”

Adrien Agreste watched curiously as Marinette Dupain-Cheng fidgeted nervously across the room from where he sat. Instinctively, he wanted to go to her. She looked so distraught that he wanted nothing more than to close the space between them, take her into his arms, and assuage all of her fears… whatever they might be. He half rose, prepared to do just that, but stopped when she held up her hands as if warding him off. She didn’t want his comfort. Reluctantly, he dropped back down on the couch but remained at the very edge of his seat, prepared to go to her if she needed him. Whatever she was trying to say seemed to take some effort. She opened and closed her mouth several times before finally forcing out the words she had desperately wanted to say for so long.

“I… I really don’t know where to start. Um… yesterday, you asked me about Emma and Louis’ father and I… I told you he wasn’t in the picture,” she began nervously, shooting him a brief look before dropping her gaze.

“Yeah, I remember…” Adrien said slowly, thoroughly confused at the seemingly random topic being brought up.

“Well see… the thing is… the father isn’t in the picture because up until recently… up until recently he didn’t even know the twins existed…” She took a step closer before she paused and her face contorted with indecision. It was almost a physical pain, seeing her as troubled as she was.

“O~kay,” Adrien’s brow furrowed in confusion. “Was… was there a  _ reason _ you didn’t tell him? Was he… a bad influence or… a threat to you or the kids… or something...?” Adrien offered, uncertain as to where this conversation was going. To him, it seemed she had brought the topic up completely out of the blue. Judging how nervous she looked, however, he figured there was a point to be had so he was more than happy to listen. 

“No, no… he would have been- _ could _ be-a great father but… there were some… extenuating circumstances that prevented me from telling him about them,” she said slowly, finally crossing the room to take a seat beside him. Adrien angled his body towards her, knees brushing hers, and reached for her hand, but once again Marinette recoiled from his touch. Frowning, he dropped his hand back into his lap, growing more than a little frustrated at the distance she had so purposefully created between them.

“Okay… I’m not sure I’m following you, Marinette. Why… why are you telling me all this?” Adrien asks slowly, genuinely curious.

“I just… I need you to understand, Adrien. If there was any other way… I just… I was young and stupid and… and… your  _ father _ , God. He wouldn’t… I couldn’t...” She trailed off, clearly frustrated at her lack of articulation as tears pricked her vision. For once, however, Adrien paid them no mind. A dull ringing had begun echoing in the back of his mind as soon as she had mentioned his father and a feeling of unease threatened to consume him. He swallowed thickly, fearful of the words he suddenly knew were about to come out of her mouth. Unease shifted to dread and a steady pounding began in his skull, each throb punctuated with a word.  _ Thump.  _ No.  _ Thump.  _ No.  _ Thump.  _ No.  _ Thump.  _ No. He didn’t want to believe it. Didn’t want to think badly about the girl he was growing increasingly attached to. At the same time, it was hard to dispute the facts when they were supposedly staring him in the face.  _ Thump.  _ No.  _ Thump.  _ No. He silently begged her not to say anything. To drop the subject before they reached a point from which there was no return. His silent plea would go unheard.

“Marinette. What  _ exactly _ are you trying to tell me?” He finally asked flatly. He shifts his gaze to the wall just above her head, missing the way she flinches at his tone of voice. He can’t bring himself to look her in the eye.  _ Thump.  _ No.

“I’m trying to tell you that… that you’re their father, Adrien.” Marinette says quietly. She continues speaking, but Adrien is no longer listening. The ringing has turned into a dull roar that fills his head, wiping away any outside sounds that threaten to break through his haze of disbelief. His gaze flits over towards the hall and immediately land on a pair of wide, jade green eyes. Emma Dupain-Cheng starts, surprised at having been caught eavesdropping. The blonde haired man watches as the child ducks back into the darkness of the hall, a sudden tightness filling his throat. He swallows thickly, mentally reminding himself that breathing is essential to his well-being. Even if doing so feels like he’s swallowing a mouthful of glass shards.  _ Thump.  _ No.

“A-Adrien?” Marinette’s worried bluebell gaze suddenly fills his vision as she shifts onto her knees, leaning over him with a look of concern on her face. Her hands flutter uselessly in the air between them as she tries to come up with something to do or say. “A-Adrien, are you okay?”

“No,” he finally says, his tone flat and angry. Marinette flinches once again but in that moment, he can’t bring himself to care. Suddenly, he is absolutely  _ furious _ . Furious at her, for doing this to him. Furious at himself, for allowing him to fall for her pretty face and sweet demeanor. A demeanor clearly tailored just for his benefit. To draw him in, drop his guard. He was more than a little ashamed to admit it had worked much too well. She was worse than Chloe. At least with Chloe, all of her shortcomings were out in the open. With Chloe, he had known exactly what he was getting into. He knew of her thirst for power, her need for wealth. He accepted it and the role he would have to play as her husband to ensure she had it. That was the life he had agreed to bear to make her happy. But Marinette… he hadn’t seen her coming. He hadn’t expected her to worm her way so thoroughly into his heart, his soul, that the thought of never seeing her again  _ killed _ him. He didn’t expect her to use and abuse his trust like this.

“I- I’m sorry I just-”

“Save it,” he barks out suddenly, cutting off whatever she was about to say. Adrien turns his furious green gaze to her panicked blue one as she falls back on the couch, startled by his abrupt change in attitude.

“Adrien,” she begins in a tiny voice.

“I really thought you were different, Marinette,” he snaps, rising abruptly to his feet. Her eyes flicker with a myriad of emotion-hurt, confusion, worry, fear- and his jaw tightens in fury.

“Wh-wha~” She squeaks.

“What were you hoping to accomplish, Marinette? Did you think if you told me they were mine, that I’d dump Chloe and marry you instead? Was it the money? Was it because you want to work with my  _ father _ !? If so, it was pretty clever of you, pretending to hate him and all. You’re a fantastic actress. I fell for your act hook, line, and sinker and all you had to do was crook a finger,” he sneers bitterly, rising to glare down at her. Marinette blinks up at him, pink lips parted in shock and cerulean eyes stricken. The sudden urge to apologize, to hold her close and kiss her senseless and  _ beg _ for her forgiveness, threatens to consume him and he growls at his irrational reaction to her. It isn’t fair. He should have feelings like this for Chloe, for his  _ fiancee _ , not for this girl he barely knows. A girl that clearly was just using him.

“A-Adrien th-that’s not-” she tries again, a hint of desperation tingeing her words now. Adrien’s peridot eyes narrow in anger and he turns away abruptly.

“This was a mistake. Forget the project; I’ll find someone else. Thank you for your time, Miss Dupain-Cheng.” Adrien growls over his shoulder. He strides towards the door, fully intent on escaping the building and the woman who had played him for a fool. He’s halfway across the room when she finally finds her voice. It’s quiet at first, but rises in volume with every syllable.

“Adrien… Adrien…  _ ADRIEN I WAS JOKING! _ ” She suddenly shrieks, panic lacing her words. Adrien froze and she rushed to continue. “It was a joke. A prank. I- It was stupid, I’m sorry,” she babbled frantically. He glanced back at her, eyes narrowed to slits as he tried to gauge the truth of her words.

“Joking?” He asked, disbelief coloring his tone. She nods vigorously, blue eyes pooling with tears as she half reached for him from her spot on the couch.

“I- it was stupid. It was a joke. Um… um… Alya! She and Nino thought it would be funny,” she said frantically, gnawing on her bottom lip uneasily. Adrien glares at her a moment longer, not entirely certain whether to believe her or not.

“A joke…” He repeats flatly.

“A joke,” she confirms, lips quivering.

“That… was a terrible joke,” he finally says, disapproval coloring his tone. Marinette practically sags in relief and gives him a somewhat forced smile.

“Yeah… Yeah, it was. I’m sorry. I don’t know why I agreed to go along with their prank. It was stupid. Of _course_ you’re not their father,” she agreed nervously, eyes darting left to right in nervousness. A small smile finally curved the blonde man’s lips as he slowly relaxed his too-tense frame. He nods, quietly relieved that she wasn’t actually the gold digger he had feared her to be. Briefly, a vague sense of disappointed that Emma and Louis  _ weren’t _ his children filled him before he shoved it away. Of course they weren’t his. He and Marinette had only had sex once and that had been six years ago. The twins were only five, though, not six. So there was absolutely  _ no way _ that they could be his. Right? Right. He wanted kids one day, sure. But if that happened, they would be with Chloe the girl he was in lo- The girl he was engaged to.

“Are we okay?” Marinette asked nervously, her gaze refusing to settle on any one spot, least of all him. Adrien opens his mouth to respond, but he doesn’t get the chance as suddenly, the door is thrown open, banging loudly as it bounced off the wall. Adrien and Marinette both jump in surprise and turn to the door, startled by the sudden intrusion, as Alya Cesaire (self-proclaimed best friend of Marinette Dupain-Cheng) stepped into the apartment with a wide, shit-eating grin on her face.

“Girl, have I got a scoop for you!”

  
  


Marinette blinks as the whirlwind that is her best friend sweeps into the apartment, sparing Adrien a brief, curious glance before grabbing her friend’s wrist with an excited grin. “Marinette, how much do you love me?” She demands, the grin on her face never wavering. Marinette blinks warily, uncertain about how she feels about the seemingly random question, but she answers nonetheless.

“More than I should, if you ask me…. Alya, what did you do?” She blinks her cerulean blue eyes suspiciously, momentarily forgetting that they had an audience in the form of a confused and curious blonde Adonis.

“Something you should have done  _ ages _ ago! You know that really cute Barista that works across the street? The one we went to school with? What was his name~” Her hazel eyes flit expectantly to Marinette, who gives a world-weary sigh.

“You mean Nathaniel?”

“Right, right. The Tomatohead.  _ Anyway _ , you know how that guy has been like… totally smitten with you for like… ever?” She asks impatiently. Marinette grimaces silently but nods anyway. It was hard not to notice the aspiring artists’ crush on her. It had been going strong since middle school, as far as she could tell. “Well, I got you his number.”

“You  _ what!? _ ” Marinette shrieks, face flushing with embarrassment. The auburn-haired bombshell nods excitedly.

“And I gave him yours,” she adds proudly.

“ALYA!” Marinette shrieks even louder,  her blush creeping up to the roots of her hair as she glares at her so-called best friend.

“What?” The darker skinned girl steps back and gives her friend a petulant pout.

“You- You can’t just give some guy my number!”

“Tomatohead isn’t just some guy! We’ve known him for like… ever,” she points out with a satisfied grin.

“So  _ not  _ the point,” Marinette retorts.

“Oh come on, you said yourself he was cute. And he likes you. And he likes Emma and Louis,” she points out, wiggling her brows playfully. Marinette purses her lips.

“Nathaniel isn’t my type and besides… Louis doesn’t like him,” she points out, glancing at the hall to ensure neither child had ventured out to see what all the hubbub was about. The hall was mercifully empty. Beside her, Alya rolls her eyes heavenward and shakes her head impatiently.

“Louis doesn’t like  _ anybody _ ,” She points out sourly.

“That isn’t true,” Marinette insists, shooting a brief look towards Adrien before dropping her eyes awkwardly. Yeah, she was so not going to be the one to point out that Adrien, a very much  _ engaged  _ Adrien, was the only person outside their inner circle her son seemed genuinely interested in. Alya followed her glance, curiosity lighting up her gaze. She inclined her head towards him ever so slightly, a silent question in her eyes. Marinette swallowed thickly, suddenly recalling the lie she had told Adrien earlier. Shit. “Um… right! Adrien, can you excuse us for a moment? Alya, I have that… that  _ thing _ … I wanted to show you in my bedroom…”

“Thing?” Alya asked interest piqued. “What thing?”

“That… that very important thing that I can’t speak about in present company,” Marinette gritted out impatiently. Alya flashed her a coy smile.

“Does this thing have to do with Adrien Agreste standing in the middle of your living room?” Alya asks, her smile widening into a grin once more.

“NO! Nope. Nada. It absolutely does  _ not _ ,” Marinette yelps, while Adrien looks between the two with a bemused expression on his face.

“Are you  _ sure~ _ ” Her friend sings playfully. Growling, Marinette grabs her wrist and all but drags her friend to her bedroom, shooting Adrien an apologetic look over her shoulder. She doesn’t speak until the door is shut between them.

“Okay, I need you to do me a favor,” the raven-haired woman said, whirling around to face her friend. Alya arched a brow but said nothing. “If Adrien asks anything about a prank, just go along with it.”

“Do I get to know what this is about?” The auburn-haired journalist asked quizzically.

“Nope,” Marinette retorts, popping the  _ ‘p’ _ . Alya’s frown furrowed in obvious dissatisfaction.

“But-” she begins plaintively. Marinette cuts her off.

“I’m invoking  _ the Code _ ,” she says firmly. Alya’s mouth snapped shut audibly as she stared at her friend.

“ _ The Code _ ? You mean that silly thing we made up when we were ten?” She asks petulantly. The smaller of the two snorts in amusement.

“It wasn’t silly when you called it two weeks ago,” she points out. Alya opened her mouth to protest but after a moment decides against it. She finally nods, resigned.

“Fine, which rules apply?”

“No prying. No asking questions. You aren’t allowed to do any of your sneaky Journalist stuff with me, Adrien,  _ or _ the kids AND you can’t have Nino do it for you,” Marinette says, smirking as Alya gapped.

“No fair!” The taller, curvier girl whines, crossing her arms.

“ _ The Code _ is sacred. You can’t say no,” Marinette says haughtily.

“I  _ know,  _ that’s what makes it so unfair! Alright, fine. You win,” Alya grumbled as she stuck out her hand, sealing the deal with the secret handshake they had created almost two decades ago. When they were done, both girls dissolved into girlish giggles, shaking their heads and shoving one another playfully as they made their way back to the living room where Adrien still stood, looking lost. Alya smiled wickedly at him, a mischievous twinkle in her eyes.

“Sorry about that, Adrien. Mari had some…  _ girl stuff _ … to discuss. You wouldn’t understand,” she said serenely, earning an inhuman squawk from the smaller, darker haired girl. Adrien visibly reddened.

“Alya!” Marinette snapped, face burning in embarrassment. The reporter shrugged shamelessly, eyes dancing with mirth.

“So, what say we invite Nino and the kids up and turn this into a party?” Alya said, ignoring the awkward tension in the room in favor of raiding Marinette’s wine rack. Marinette glared at her back, but she didn’t argue. As much as the redhead aggravated her to no end, she loved her friend and missed hanging out with her. Perhaps tonight could be salvaged after all.

  
  


The next couple of days were rather uneventful. Dinner with Adrien and their friends had managed to diffuse the lingering tension that had settled over the pair after her botched attempt at telling him the truth. Even so, she had opted to take Wednesday off of working on their project. She needed a mental health day. Thursday, Marinette took the kids to school before meeting up with Adrien at a local cafe. Over the course of five hours, they drank way too much coffee but managed to sketch out several more potential designs. Friday, they met up at his place to finish cleaning up the workshop where most of the actual sewing would take place once they had all the materials and the final designs. Marinette had been hesitant at returning to his house, but he had assured her that his father was out of town and Chloe would be out of the house all day so she had reluctantly agreed. True to his word, she didn’t run into either Chloe or the senior Agreste.

Saturday dawned a lot earlier than she would have wanted. Emma had been invited to a birthday party by one of her classmates. Apparently, the parents of the Birthday Girl were taking the entire class to the Zoo and Aquarium, all expenses paid. Marinette had been a bit hesitant, but Emma was nothing if not persistent and eventually, the hassled mother had given in. Puppy Dog eyes were most certainly going to be the death of her. The day itself was rather quiet. Marinette and Adrien hadn’t made any plans, so while Louis played quietly in his bedroom, Marinette spent the day scouring her apartment top to bottom, cleaning every inch until it was spotless. It was almost four in the afternoon by the time she had finished all the household chores. With no other plans, she opted to take Louis to visit her parents. Emma would be staying the night at her friends’ after the party and Marinette hadn’t been by the bakery since she had moved out.

Louis, of course, was only too happy at the thought of visiting his grandparents who were sure to have a few macaroons or tarts laying around just for the little boy. Despite his diminutive size, the boy had quite the appetite. He also had a major sweet tooth. Marinette helped the child tie his shoes, then rose and held a hand out to him, which he eagerly took. Marinette locked the door before drawing the child towards the elevator. The pair chattered animatedly as they made the twenty-minute walk to the bakery. With his mother’s undivided attention, Louis was far more talkative than he usually was. It was a nice change. Marinette loved listening to the child talk. He was so insightful and alert. As they approached the bakery, Louis finally broke away from her with a wild grin, shoving the glass door open and bounding inside while his mother followed at a more sedate pace.

“Louie, my big boy!” Tom Dupain was saying as Marinette stepped inside the Patisserie. The burly, kind-faced man grinned as he held the small child above his head.

“ _ Papa _ , be careful,” Marinette chastised, though a smile graced her lips as she listened to her son shriek and giggle in his grandfather’s arms.

“Grand-Pere, guess what!?” Louis said excitedly.

“What,  _ mon petit fils? _ ” Tom asked obediently. Louis opened his mouth wide and pointed to one of his baby teeth proudly.

“My tooth is loose!” Louis shrilled happily.

What? No way!” Tom pretended to gasp as he brought the child closer as if inspecting the tooth himself. The child nodded enthusiastically, blonde mop flopping about with the movement. Sticking out his tongue, he pressed it back and forth across the tooth in question causing it to shift a bit.

“See?”

“I see… Sabine, our little boy is becoming a man!” Tom bellowed towards the kitchen. There’s a rustle and a clang of something metal being set down on the stainless steel counter before Sabine Cheng appears, an amused smile on her lips.

“Is that so? Well, we will have to celebrate then. Hello,  _ ma fille _ ,” Sabine smiled warmly as she crossed to embrace Marinette, casting an amused glance at the two boys who were not-so-sneakily pulling some of the Macaroons from the display case. “What brings you two here? And where’s my granddaughter?”

“Emma is at a birthday party. Louis and I thought we would come by and help out in the bakery,” Marinette explains, returning the embrace. She hadn’t realized until then just how much she had missed her mother’s presence. 

“Such a sweet girl,” Sabine cooed affectionately, before gesturing around the immaculate patisserie. “There isn’t much to do around here… but your Papa has a few more deliveries to take out. Perhaps you can help with those while Louis and I do the dishes? We’re about to close for the night anyway,” she said.

“I can do that, no problem.” Marinette nods in agreement and follows her family into the back to survey the delivery list. There were three deliveries to be made and two were much too far to walk. She pointed to the third on the list with a triumphant smile. “I can deliver the cake here, if you want to take the other two deliveries by car, Papa.”

“I don’t know, Marinette… that neighborhood isn’t the best. Are you sure you’ll be okay?” Tom asked skeptically.

“I’ll be fine, Papa. I’m stronger than I look,” she said with a playful wink and a confident smile. Her father returned the look with a dubious one of his own. “Really, Papa. You have nothing to worry about. I’ll be careful,” she insists. Tom Dupain stares at his daughter another moment longer before finally giving a small nod of agreement.

“Alright… but take this,” he relents, digging through a drawer near the register before producing a small bottle of pepper spray. Marinette starts to protest, but the look on his face prevents her from doing so and after a moment, she nods in agreement.

Ten minutes later, Marinette leaves the patisserie with the two-layer cake in hand. The house she’s delivering to isn’t too far, but it’s a solid thirty minute walk and the sun is already sinking beyond the horizon by the time she enters the neighborhood. Here, the houses are rundown, the yards overgrown and surrounded by chain link fences. A large dog throws itself against the fence of one house, barking furiously as she passes by. Eventually, she comes to the house that the cake is supposed to go to. The house is small, probably no more than two bedrooms. The overgrown yard is full of dead grass and abandoned toys. The house itself is made of faded bricks with a wide, covered front porch. The porch looks old and rotted, the overhang covering it sagging towards the middle. The windows on either side are covered inside by what appear to be black sheets and one of them has a long crack going across the center from the bottom left corner to the top right corner.

Double checking the house number, Marinette steps through the chain link fence and heads up a walkway nearly hidden by weeds. The steps creak under her weight as she mounts the porch and lifts a hand to knock solidly on the door. Immediately a small dog begins to yap incessantly, its nails clicking against wooden floors loudly enough to hear outside as it heads for the door. The thump of heavier footsteps follow and a woman snaps something in French at the dog before the door is unlocked and opened a crack.

“Yeah? Who is it?” The woman barks out, and Marinette has to force herself not to wrinkle her nose at the overpowering scent of cigarettes that seems to roll off the woman.

“Hi, yes… I’m here for the Boulangerie Patisserie? You uh… you ordered a cake?” The raven-haired girl said politely. The door suddenly swung open wider, revealing a grizzled old woman with stringy gray hair. She was stooped over, her face weathered with age, but her blue eyes were surprisingly sharp. Her face softened into a smile and she grinned, showing off crooked, yellowed teeth.

“Ah, yes. Melodie, come here!” She calls. There’s a shuffle of footsteps before a girl who couldn’t be more than three or four scampers into view. The child is adorable, cherub-faced with big green eyes and long, naturally red hair. She’s wearing footie pajamas and holding an annoyed looking Chihuahua in her arms as she blinks shyly up at Marinette.

“Yes, grandmama?” Melodie asks politely, her gaze flicking from Marinette to the older woman with curiosity shining in her green eyes.

“Come look what I got for you,” the old woman wheezed with an affectionate smile. The child approached hesitantly and Marinette crouched, pulling the top off the box to show off the pretty, pink frosted cake. The girl squealed in delight.

“A cake? For me?” She asks, looking excitedly between Marinette and her grandmother. The woman nods warmly.

“Happy birthday, Melodie,” she said. “Can you get my wallet so I can pay the nice lady?” Melodie nods and turns to scamper off but stops when Marinette speaks.

“Wait! Um… don’t worry, it’s on the house,” she said, rising and closing the box before extending it towards the old woman.

“Oh no, dearie, that’s quite alright. I can pay for it,” she assured, turning to tell the child once more to get her wallet. Marinette interrupts before she can, however.

“Please I- I insist. I have a little girl and boy just a little older than your Melodie. Please, it’s on the house,” Marinette smiled earnestly and, after a moment’s hesitation, the old woman returns the smile.

“You won’t get in trouble?” She asks, just to be sure. Marinette shakes her head in assurance, a smile playing at her lips.

“My parents own the bakery. They’ll understand.” She promised, handing her the cake before winking playfully at the redheaded little girl. Melodie gaps at her, green eyes wide.

“You’re really pretty, Miss,” the child says, smiling shyly. Heart melting, Marinette crouches so that she’s eye level with the little girl and gives her a broad smile.

“Not half as pretty as you are. You enjoy that cake, okay, Melodie?”

“I will, Miss!”

“Happy birthday,” Marinette rises and gives a small wave before turning and bounding back down the stairs, a genuine smile on her face. Behind her, the door swings shut and Marinette hurries back down the walkway. By now, the sun has gone down and only a sliver of moon hangs in the darkened sky. The raven-haired girl shivers violently at the sudden bite to the air and ducks her head, burrowing into her jacket. It isn’t until ten minutes later that she realizes she’s in an unfamiliar area. Pausing, she glances around searching for a familiar street sign, but she sees nothing she recognizes. She takes note of her surroundings. She is surrounded by tall, darkened warehouses, the residential area she had previously been in long gone. Broken glass and trash litters the ground and graffiti paints the sides of the buildings around her. Marinette swallows hard, unease flickering through her. She reaches for her coat pocket but is startled to find her phone isn’t there. Had she left it in the bakery? She had sworn she had it with her, but thinking back she couldn’t be a hundred percent sure and with a resigned sigh, she trudges onward, silently hoping that she will eventually break free of this warehouse district and come upon something more familiar.

It’s five minutes later that she realizes the echo of footsteps mirroring her own isn’t the sound bouncing off the buildings around her. She’s being followed and her breath hitches as fear slams into her. Her pace, however, doesn’t falter as she strains to listen for her pursuer. Or pursuers, it would seem. Now that she’s paying attention, she is certain she can make out at least two individual sets of footsteps outside of her own. Marinette continues walking at her sedate pace as her eyes bounce around desperately, seeking an escape route that wouldn’t end with her dead in a ditch somewhere. She swallowed hard, struggling not to quicken her pace quite yet less she gives away that she knows they’re there. They continue like that for a few more minutes, the pair behind her always staying about thirty paces behind her, when the soft rumble of a car catches her attention and she looks up hopefully. 

There, barely visible ahead lays a busy road. Beyond that, more warehouses. But the road brings her hope. The chances of her flagging someone down in this area are slim. She’s in a seedy neighborhood and anyone would be stupid to actually stop and pick up some random girl on the side of the road around here. Besides, if she stopped long enough to try it, the men behind her would catch up to her for sure. That being said, if she could get  _ across _ the road without getting hit, she could disappear in the maze of warehouses on the other side before they could follow her. It was slim, but it was a  _ chance _ . Without warning, Marinette switched directions and took off for the road at a dead sprint. Behind her, one of the men shouts in surprise and there’s a slight scuffle before the sound of their feet slapping the pavement behind her reaches her. Marinette makes a beeline for the road, but it’s farther than she originally anticipated and she can hear the men gaining on her. She isn’t exactly out of shape, but she also doesn’t spend much time in the gym.

Behind her, the men curse savagely and she pushes her legs to pump faster. The road suddenly looms ahead of her and by some stroke of luck, there is a brief lull in traffic, allowing her to hit the open stretch of road without slowing down. Unfortunately, the lull is long enough for her pursuers to follow right behind her. Brakes screech loudly in the night, but Marinette pays the sound no mind other than silently hoping the car hits at least one of the men following her. She pushes herself even faster, breathing labored. Her lungs burn, her thighs ache, and she’s fairly certain her chest is about to burst from exertion but she doesn’t slow down as she weaves between buildings, eyes dancing back and forth in search of a way out or a place to hide… hell, even a weapon would have been preferable at this point, though she’s never been much of a fighter. Marinette rounds a corner and shrieks in surprise as she slams into a tall, broad-shouldered man. She ricochets off him, but his hands clamp down on her upper arms, keeping her from hitting the cement.

For a brief moment, relief floods her system. Another person means safety in numbers, right? Wrong. His hands tighten around her arms, squeezing hard enough to bruise as he leers down at her, and dread replaces the relief. No… no, it was impossible. How had he gotten in front of her? It shouldn’t have been possible without her seeing him pass her. Behind her, the footsteps slow to a halt and she stiffens.

“Oh, you caught her,” the man behind her chuckles, barely even sounding winded.

“I told you I would,” the one holding her said, his smirk evident in his voice. Marinette jerked backward, trying to free herself, and surprisingly the man lets her go. He grins down at her maliciously. “Easy there, sweetheart. We just want to talk. Listen, and you’re free to go as the boss ordered. Act difficult… and we get to have some fun,” he grinned maniacally at that and Marinette felt her stomach drop with fear as she felt his eyes roam leisurely over her figure before his gaze returned to hers.

“What do you want with me?” She finally asked, struggling to sound brave despite her fear. The men chuckle low in their throat and the one behind her edges slower, excitement rolling off him in waves. It’s the first one, the one in front of her, that finally speaks.

“We want you to stay away from Adrien Agreste.”

  
  


Adrien leaned back against the cool leather of the town car’s backseat, lips pursed into a slight frown. It was Saturday night and by some stroke of luck, Chloe was out with her friends leaving him to his own devices. Normally, this would mean spending the night at home catching up on the never-ending pile of paperwork his father expected him to take care of now that he was starting to play a bigger role in the family business. Tonight, however, he had been hoping to spend the night a bit differently. Namely, he had hoped to spend the night with Marinette.  _ Not _ in a ‘sleeping with you’ sort of way, mind you. He was, after all, engaged. But the prospect of sitting on her couch with a glass of wine, laughing into the wee hours of the morning, appealed to him. In retrospect, he probably should have called ahead to make sure she didn’t have plans. When he had arrived at her apartment, no one had answered the door and neither Alya nor Nino seemed to know where she went. When he had finally called, her phone had gone straight to voicemail.

He had resigned himself to going home, but halfway back to the mansion he had changed his mind and instructed his driver to just drive around the city instead. Gorilla, as Adrien had called him for as long as he could remember, had grunted and complied. It would seem neither really wanted to return to the big, empty mansion. Driving around the city for the better part of an hour had certainly done wonders for Adrien’s peace of mind and he eventually directed the Gorilla to take them back home. Returning home required them to go through the business district, which normally was uneventful at this time of night. Especially on a Saturday. Tonight, however, just as they were passing through the warehouses, a flicker of white caught Adrien’s attention. He sat up, staring intently out the window as the flicker of white appeared again, flitting between the warehouses like a wraith. It wasn’t until she broke free of the buildings and launched herself across the road that he even realized that it was a person.

“Look out!” He shouts instinctively. The Gorilla slammed on the breaks, throwing them both forward in their seats as the girl darts across the road. Adrien stares after her, startled. He was certain there had been something vaguely familiar about the girl, but between the darkness and the speed with which she moved, he couldn’t be certain. Sitting up, he was about to direct his driver to continue when two more shapes barreled across their path, clearly in hot pursuit of the girl. Adrien stared after them for several seconds before reaching to unclip his seatbelt.

“Don’t.” The clipped word startled him, more so when he realized it came from his normally silent bodyguard and driver. He lifted his gaze to find the older man’s gaze locked on his in the rearview mirror.

“I have to,” Adrien argued, unbuckling himself and reaching for the door handle. The locks slammed into place before he could open the door.

“Master Agreste, it isn’t safe,” Gorilla grunted.

“That girl needs help,” Adrien argued.

“My concern is you,” the man implored.

“Unlock the door,” Adrien growled, scowling. The man hesitated briefly, but finally nodded and flipped the doors to unlock. He didn’t have a chance to say anything before Adrien was out the door and racing through the maze of warehouses. Outside, it was freezing. The cold air bit at his exposed cheeks and nose and he shivered violently as he slowly walked through the maze of warehouses. Everything was silent, save for the chirp of crickets and the occasional rustle of trash in the wind. He was about to turn back and just call the police when a blood-curdling scream split the air.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NOTE TO READERS. The next chapter will contain minor physical assault, as well as POSSIBLY the faintest smidgeon of sexual assault. Nothing graphic or super detailed but you have been warned. If you do not want to read that part, I will be posting in the beginning notes of the next chapter how many paragraphs to skip so you can avoid all that ;)
> 
> Whoo, the third cliffhanger in a row? I am on a roll! But in all seriousness, we are getting closer and closer to the reveal guys!


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which I have sinned in the worst way possible and I am SO SORRY, Marinette.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TRIGGER WARNING. Minor physical and sexual abuse that are CLEARLY outlined so that you can skip over it as needed.
> 
> This chapter was almost 7000 words...
> 
> I took it so much further than I intended.
> 
> I had way too much fun writing this chapter.

“What do you want with me?” Marinette asked, silently cursing the slight waver in her voice. Mentally, she assessed her situation. She was in the middle of a warehouse district without her phone. Her parents probably weren’t expecting her home for another ten minutes at least, maybe a little less, but they probably wouldn’t actually start worrying until she was at least thirty minutes late. She is currently trapped in an alleyway with a man in front of her, and a man behind her. She hasn’t seen the man behind her yet; that would require turning around to look and the man before her is the most prominent threat at the moment. But she can feel the malicious energy rolling off him in waves as he edges closer. The man in front of her is easily three times her size. Most likely over six feet tall, almost as burly as her father, but there is a hardness to his face that her father lacks. Even if she were a fighter, which she most assuredly was  _ not _ , the chances of her taking one on of them (let alone  _ both  _ of them) in a fight were slim. In short, she was probably screwed.

“We want you to stay away from Adrien Agreste,” the one in front of her states, lips curving into a dark smile. Marinette feels her heart skip a beat as sudden clarity slams into her. Gabriel Agreste.  _ He _ had sent these brutes after her? For what reason? To scare and intimidate her? If that was his end goal, mission accomplished. To hurt her? Yet to be determined. The man had said he wasn’t planning on hurting her but she didn’t entirely believe him.

“I can’t do that,” she said stiffly, eyes darting around for something, anything to use as a weapon. If she could just make it impossible for  _ one _ of them to run, maybe she had a chance. Behind her, the second man made a soft, excited sound and pressed even closer. His movement forced her even closer to the man in front of her and her skin positively crawled with disgust. She wanted to back up against a wall, keep both of them in her sights, but that would mean trapping herself.

“Guess we get to do things the hard way,” the man in front of her chuckled, his eyes glinting with eagerness.  _ Great. Gabriel Agreste hired a sadist to rough me up. Fan-freaking-tastic… _ she thought ruefully, side-stepping the pair in order to capture both of them in her line of sight. Now that she could see the second man, she thought he looked vaguely familiar. He was a bean pole, compared to the first man. Tall and scrawny with chalky white skin and brown eyes that seemed almost… dead to her. They were almost completely devoid of emotion, save for a weird sort of glee that had her heart fluttering with fear.

“You don’t have to do this. I- I can pay you,” she offered desperately.

“You couldn’t pay us a quarter as much as what the boss is paying,” the first man scoffed.

“You’re making a mistake. People will look for me. You won’t get away with this,” she warned meekly, backing up as they began to prowl forward.

“We get away with this sort of thing all the time, sweetheart. You’ll just be another notch in our proverbial belt,” the first one chuckled.

“I… I know you. How do I know you?” Marinette asks suddenly. The men both smirk and the first one sweeps into an overly dramatic bow that might have looked gallant if someone like Adrien were the one doing it.

“Mason Brunsworth, at your service,” he greets with what she supposes he thinks is a charming smile. “This is my brother, Ignelius.”

“Iggy,” Ignelius growls immediately with an annoyed glare at his brother.

“The Brun Brothers,” Marinette states flatly, eyes darting around once more for an escape plan.  _ Keep them talking. Keep them distracted,  _ a voice whispered in the back of her mind. Marinette obeyed without hesitation. “You’re the ones who killed that girl last year? The American tourist.”

“You’ve heard of us. I’m flattered,” Mason purred, edging to her left. Marinette sidestepped, immediately countering the move so that she didn’t get cornered between them.

“The cops are looking for you. You raped and mutilated a nineteen-year-old girl.” She spat, eyes flashing. “How does someone like you get in contact with a man like Gabriel Agreste?”

“Agreste is a smart man. He knows how to get what he wants. Oh, and Iggy technically raped her. I just watched,” Mason smirked as Marinette stumbled, eyes widening with a mixture of shock, fear, and disgust. He frowned when she regained her footing almost immediately and continued to back away down the alley. Iggy stayed silent, but the leer on his face was enough to tell her exactly what he was thinking.

“Is that what you’re going to do to me? Rape and murder me?” She asks, discreetly patting her pockets in hopes of finding something she could use against them. Mason looks thoughtful.

“Well no… that wasn’t the plan. Gabriel Agreste seems to want you alive but-” he broke off as Iggy cut in.

“Who cares what Agreste wants.  _ I _ want to have some fun. This one is much prettier than the American was. She looks stubborn too. It will be fun to break her spirit,” he proclaimed, edging closer with a disturbed grin on his face. Mason shot his brother an annoyed look.

“I’ll consider it,” he amended, before turning back to face their quarry. Unfortunately for them, their momentary lapse in focus gave Marinette the time she needed to discreetly dip her hand into her pocket and bring out the only object she had on her that might be classified as a weapon. When the Brun Brothers turned back to face her, Mason (still the more dangerous of the two) was met with a face full of pepper spray. He stumbled back, hands flying to his eyes as an inhuman shriek left him. Iggy stared, slack-jawed, as his brother scrubbed frantically at his quickly reddening face. Marinette didn’t pause to admire her handiwork, however. She spun and darted away, but Iggy was faster. He recovered swiftly and quick as a snake, he lunged after her. His hand curled roughly into her loose raven-colored locks and he threw her back against the wall  _ hard _ . She gasped in pain as she struck the cool concrete building, pain lancing up her spine. The canister of pepper spray clattered noisily to the ground as the impact forced her to release her hold on the only weapon she had. 

 

**{TRIGGER WARNING; If you would like to skip miner sexual/physical abuse, please skip ahead until you find the next set of brackets. The next few paragraphs contained forced kissing, minor physical abuse, and non-consensual groping. Also strong language in both French and English. ~~Nothing will be overtly graphic but it IS there~~. Okay so it might be a LITTLE more detailed than I originally planned but once I started I couldn't stop but it is in NO WAY explicit. Read only if you are comfortable with it}**

 

“You’ll regret doing that to my brother, you little bitch,” he snarled, pressing closer as he shamelessly ogled her figure. Marinette tried to bring her knee up to his groin, but he simply blocked it with his leg before gathering both her wrists in one hand and pinning them to the wall above her head. His other hand remained curled tight in her hair, forcing her head back and her chin up painfully as she glared at him.

“Let me  _ go _ , you disgusting piece of shit,” she snarled, bucking wildly against his hold. Iggy’s grip didn’t so much as falter. He was surprisingly strong despite his scrawny stature. If anything, it just gave him an excuse to press even closer, using his body to pin hers against the wall.  A wave of nausea threatened to consume the raven-haired girl as she felt his arousal pressing into her. It was like he was getting off on her pain and her stomach lurched in disgust. Leering lasciviously, he released her hair and instead trailed his hand leisurely down her face, and neck and along her collarbone. Marinette squirmed in his hold, trying to free herself, but he had her effectively pinned and with her much smaller stature, there was little she could do.

His hand continued down to her chest and she involuntarily whimpered in protest as his hand found her clothed breast and squeezed roughly. She twisted, trying to angle her body away from him, but he just chuckled in delight. His hand left her boob and for a moment, she felt immense relief… until his fingers continued to trail downward. She began to buck wildly again, a wordless snarl leaving her throat, but he was undeterred.

“ _ Don’t _ ,” she growled as his fingers paused, just below her navel. He smirked, taking pleasure in the fear and desperation in her eyes.

“What is wrong,  _ ma petit putain _ ? Has no man ever pleasured you before? Don’t worry. When the time comes, I will make sure it’s… unforgettable.” The way his nails suddenly bit into her skin before continuing their descent made it perfectly clear what he meant by  _ unforgettable.  _ Not that it came as a surprise. He had already proven that he got some weird sexual pleasure by seeing women in pain. Marinette closed her eyes as his hand pressed lewdly into her clothed sex and she was insanely grateful for the barrier her jeans provided. If she had worn a skirt… well, she didn’t really want to travel down that path of thinking at the moment. Another whimper escaped her as his hand moved to the button of her jeans, toying with it thoughtfully before he unsnapped it.

“No. No, don’t,” she said, her voice no longer strong with conviction. Instead, her voice came out small and breathy, borderline panicky. The thought of this man touching her  _ there _ , where only one other person had ever touched her before, scared the ever-living shit out of her. She didn’t want Adrien’s memory tainted by some sadistic pervert. He paused, his fingers toying with the band of her panties as he considered her.

“Beg,” he commanded, smirking.

“I won’t,” she hissed, trying to retain some of her earlier defiance. She wavered when he dipped one finger below the band of her underwear.

“ _ Beg _ ,” he ordered once more.

“G-go to h-hell,” she stammered, squeezing her eyes shut to hide the tears that wanted to spill. Another finger entered her panties and this time pressed inward ever so softly, though they hadn’t actually entered her yet.

“Last chance~” he sang out, eyes twinkling with glee. He slid one digit down so it just barely brushed her clit and Marinette’s resolve flew out the window.

“ _ Don’t _ . Oh god, please don’t,” she begged, tears leaking out of the corners of her eyes. His hand pressed further, resolutely.

“ _ Beg harder _ ,” he hissed, eyes alight with perverted pleasure. Marinette gave up all pretenses of strength and sobbed openly.

“Oh god, I beg of you. P-please. Not there. N-not th-there. I- I c-c-can p=pay y-you. Just p-please. Don’t t-touch me th-th-there,” she pleaded, flinching away as his fingers shifted, the tip of one dipping between her folds. He regarded her speculatively before finally retracting his hand with a satisfied smirk.

“We’ll have to work on that. But I like you. Maybe I will keep you as my new plaything,” he purred. His previous quest in her pants momentarily forgotten, he began kissing his way from her ear, down her cheek, and along her jaw, to her mouth. In retrospect, he really should have expected some sort of retaliation after what he had just put her through. Apparently, he forgot that women could be temperamental creatures when backed into a corner. Marinette was both temperamental and  _ literally _ backed into a corner. Well, up against a wall but the point remains the same. She had been tracked, chased, and cornered. She had been groped and violated by his hands and she knew with absolute certainty that if given half a chance, Ignelius Brunsworth would make good on his promise to break her spirit, her will to live… and probably her body. Marinette prided herself on being a strong woman but even she knew it wouldn’t take much to break her. She had already given into his demands just to keep him from  _ fingering _ her.

That being said, she was suddenly, absolutely  _ furious _ and she wanted him to pay. She was trapped. Her hands were useless as they were pinned to the wall over their heads. His body held hers quite effectively against the wall making her immobile, while his other hand had returned to its painful grip in her hair. But there was one weapon he hadn’t counted for and really, he should have. His mouth moved roughly over hers, pressing and moving over her stationary one. Her low growl-a mixture of anger, frustration, and unbridled hatred-should have warned him but he was thoroughly distracted. So, when he moved to attempt to deepen the kiss, he wasn’t expecting her to bite him. But she did. Quick as a flash, her mouth opened and her teeth slammed together on his lip, hard enough that she tasted blood. He yelped in pain, jerking his head back to stare at her with wide, angry brown eyes. She gave him a humorless smile. “Careful. I bite,” she said sarcastically. 

 

**{End of Mature Content}**

 

Iggy’s eyes flashed with rage and he released her hair to move his hand to her slender neck instead, grimy fingers curling around her throat and squeezing lightly. “I could just snap your neck and be done with it,” he threatened, his tone almost conversational.

“Rot in hell, asswipe,” she snapped, spitting in his face. Now that his hand wasn’t down her pants, her previous ire had returned with a vengeance. His fingers tightened, cutting off her air supply, and Marinette began to buck again as darkness began to encroach her vision. Her fingers flexed, but she was unable to break his hold.

“ _ Ignelius, release! _ ” Mason suddenly barked out, and immediately the hold on her throat disappeared. Marinette gasped for breath, tears of relief pooling at the corners of her eyes. The pair shifted their gazes to Mason. The area around his face was raw from the chemicals in the spray, and his eyes were pink and watery. His face was pinched in anger as he glared at the trapped girl. “You will pay for that with your blood,” he warned, pulling a small knife from the folds of his jacket. Iggy glared at him.

“I get her first, Mason. I don’t want her blood all over me and besides… she’s much prettier now than she will be when you’re done with her,” the scrawnier of the two whined. Mason grabbed him roughly and yanked him backward, away from Marinette. With his greater size and strength, he practically threw his brother over his shoulder and Marinette couldn’t help by wince when he hit the ground. Mason approached the wall slowly, his dark eyes gleaming with anger. She didn’t bother to run. She was trapped and she knew she would be deluding herself if she thought for even a second that they would allow her to escape.

“I am going to make you wish you were dead,” he promised, looming over her. Marinette closed her eyes, clamping her lips together to hold back a whimper as the flat of the knife was drawn gently down her face from temple to chin. She knew, without a shred of doubt, that she was going to die and from the sounds of it, it wouldn’t be quick or painless. She sent a silent apology to her parents, to her children, to her friends. She hated to think of how they would react when her body showed up on the news in the morning. They would be devastated and she hated doing that to them. The knife was flipped so that the sharp blade rested against her soft, porcelain cheek and she finally allowed a soft sound of fear escape as the blade pressed into her skin, hard enough to break the first layer of skin with an audible pop. The sudden sound of rapidly approaching footsteps broke through her haze of fear and had her eyes flashing open as the knife was withdrawn.

“Let her go!”

  
  


Adrien groaned in frustration. He was freezing his metaphorical tail off out here and the girl and the two men seemed to have disappeared off the face of the planet. Around him, the air was still save for the occasional icy breeze. Somewhere nearby, a pair of cats hissed and crickets chirped eerily in the night as if to punctuate the fact that he was alone. He wanted to keep searching but realistically knew that the police were his best bet of helping the girl who had looked so familiar in that fleeting glimpse he had gotten of her. Adrien released a sigh and turned, intent on returning to the car and his cell phone and getting the police to scour the area when a blood-curdling scream split the air. The hair on the back of his neck stood on end and his heart stuttered with fear. Spinning, Adrien took off in the general direction of the sound, realism be damned, but the place was like a maze. He strained to hear something, anything, but the air had returned to its cold silence once more.

This time, thoughts of leaving were the furthest thing from his mind. His only goal was to search, to find, to protect. He weaved through the maze-like alleyways between buildings, only sparing brief glances down each new alley to confirm it’s emptiness before moving on. It was dark. Most of the lights above the warehouse doors had been broken or burned out. He almost missed them; would have, if she hadn’t chosen that moment to speak.

“Rot in hell, asswipe.”

Adrien’s head snapped up and he skidded to a halt, nearly giving himself whiplash. Looking up, he spotted three figures in the alleyway. One, the biggest of the three, was hunched over scrubbing his face in what seemed like pain. Another, tall and scrawny, had the third figure pinned up against a wall. Her wrists were locked in his grip and held against the wall over their heads, his other hand around a delicate looking throat. The alley was dark, obscuring physical features, but even tainted with fury, her voice was beautiful, melodic, unforgettable. And heartachingly familiar. Fear tightened in his belly like a vise as she spat directly into her attacker’s face, cerulean gaze sparking with defiance even in the darkness.

The man’s gaze darkened even further and his hand tightened around the woman’s slender throat. Adrien hissed quietly, prowling forward. He went slowly, praying they wouldn’t hear his approach. As much as he wanted to rush in, that wouldn’t do either of them any favors. Besides, Marinette wasn’t going down without a fight it would seem. If the circumstances were different, less sinister, he would have laughed at the little spitfire. She was twisting and bucking like a wildcat, trying to free herself from the obviously stronger man.

“ _ Ignelius, release! _ ” The sudden boom of the second man’s voice startled all three of them and Adrien froze as the larger man straightened up. In the thin moonlight, his face and eyes looked red, raw, and painful and he had to wonder what had happened. Had Marinette somehow done that? If so, he was even more impressed by the woman than he previously had been. The skinnier man immediately slackens his hold on the ravenette before releasing her throat completely, and she gasps for breath as her eyes shift to the larger man, wary and apprehensive. He glares back at her through watery pink eyes

“You will pay for that with your blood,” he all but growls at her, producing a small knife from his jacket. Adrien’s heartbeat quickens and he continues forward at a snail’s pace, keeping to the darkest shadows of the alley. Luckily, the three are fairly preoccupied and don’t notice his approach.

“I get her first, Mason. I don’t want her blood all over me and besides… she’s much prettier now than she will be when you’re done with her,” Iggy whines, tightening his hold on the girl. Like a ragdoll, he is ripped away and tossed aside only moments later. Mason didn’t even spare his companion a glance as he prowled closer, rage seeping from his pores.

“I am going to make you wish you were dead,” Mason promised, and Adrien watched as Marinette closed her eyes in… what? Resignation? He silently urged her not to give up as he quickened his pace ever so slightly. Mason dragged the flat of the knife from her temple to her chin and Marinette pressed her lips together into a thin line as she tried to disappear into the wall at her back. The moment the knife was flipped and began pressing into her skin, Adrien gave up all pretenses of silence or stealth. He let out a near silent snarl and charged forward. The knife was pulled back as three sets of eyes swung his way one startled, two more annoyed than anything else.

“Let her go,” he snarled, stopping several feet away as his gaze searched the alley for something to use as a weapon. Up close, he became aware of just how big Mason was and it made unease slide down his spine. Still, he wouldn’t back down. Not with Marinette so obviously in danger. The scrawnier of Marinette’s two attackers, Ignelius, slid forward with a sneer.

“What are you gonna do about it, pretty boy?” He hissed, smirking with confidence in his brother’s larger than life shadow. He glanced at said brother, expecting him to back him up, but instead Mason released the woman and stepped back. Both Iggy and Adrien blinked in surprise.

“Let’s go, Ignelius. We’re done here.” He barked out, turning abruptly.

“What? But-” Iggy protested, looking between his brother and the blonde haired man. Recognition lit his gaze then and it was like a shutter fell over his expression. He fairly spits the words when he spoke again. “Agreste Junior.” 

“Ignelius,  _ now _ ,” Mason called from the shadows. Iggy hesitated, glancing between the dark-haired woman and her savior. Finally, his gaze settled on the woman and he sneered in disgust.

“This isn’t over, girl. I’ll make you mine, yet. You can  _ count _ on it” he growled, before turning and fleeing into the night. It was several long, tense moments before Adrien allowed himself to believe they were actually gone. He relaxed, slowly, and turned to face the woman still pressed back against the wall. She was hunched in on herself, arms wrapped around her midsection, head bowed so that her hair shrouded her face. He approached her slowly like one might approach a feral animal. Hands out warily, no sudden movements.

“Ma-Marinette? Marinette, are you okay? Di-did they hurt you?” He asks quietly, stopping two feet away. He didn’t want to crowd her. The girl didn’t respond; didn’t so much as look up. She seemed to be vibrating from the shivers wracking her body and hesitantly, he reached out. She startled away from him, head snapping up with alarm the moment his fingers grazed her arm. Then recognition lit in her bluebell eyes and with only a sob as warning, Marinette launched herself at him, arms curling viselike around his midsection.

A soft keening sob escaped her as she clung to him, and Adrien had to lower them to the ground when her legs refused to support her weight. Several times, he attempted to coax her eyes to his but her face remained resolutely pressed against his chest, staining the white tee-shirt with tears, mascara, and blood from the tiny scratch on her cheek. He didn’t care, though. He kept his arms locked around her, his chin atop her head, and rocked her gently, murmuring quiet words of assurance to the girl in his arms. How long they stayed like that, Adrien couldn’t say for absolute certain. Eventually, the rumble of a car engine approaching reached his ears and soon headlights washed over the pair. Recognizing the town car, Adrien attempted to extract himself from the girl in his lap. When that didn’t work, he opted to pick her up bridal style instead, carrying her to the waiting vehicle and the comfort of her home.

  
  


Marinette was silent on the way home. Tears still flooded her eyes and trailed down her cheeks and periodically she would let out a little hiccup or a sniffle, but her sobs had quieted. As soon as Adrien had set her on the cool leather seat in the back of the town car, she had withdrawn from him and curled in on herself as if she could physically make herself disappear. She wanted to disappear. She felt dirty; she felt  _ violated. _ Mostly, she felt sick. The anger had left her already and she yearned for it to return. Anger she could manage. But this… this  _ emptiness _ … scared her. She felt hollow. Adrien sat with a seat between them, and although he tried to respect her need for space, his gaze kept shooting towards her every few seconds. Still, he hadn’t attempted to touch her or move closer, and for that she was grateful. Part of her yearned to return to the comfort and sanctity of him embrace where she knew she would be safe and protected. Cherished, even. But a much larger part of her felt as if she was tainted. Felt that Ignelius Brunsworth had marked her with his hands and lips. Sure, the mark wasn’t visible like the thin cut Mason had made on her cheek, but it was  _ there _ and she couldn’t stand to sully Adrien with her dirtiness. It was ridiculous. It was  _ irrational _ . She knew nothing that had happened was  _ her  _ fault, from a logical standpoint. But from an emotional one? Mentally and physically, she felt like scouring at least five layers of skin off before she would come anywhere close to feeling clean again. They were almost to her apartment when Adrien finally broke the silence.

“Marinette? Where are Emma and Louis?” Adrien asked gently. She stiffened but forced herself to speak despite the lump in her throat.

“Emma is with a friend. Louis is with my parents. They’re probably wondering where I am. I was supposed to be back at the bakery ages ago. You… you can drop me off there. If you want.” Even to her own ears, her voice sounded lifeless. Monotonous. The only real inflection was the odd hitch in her voice that came from the lump in her throat.

“Do you want to go to your parents, Marinette?” Adrien asked gently. She didn’t even have to think about it. If she were being honest, she didn’t want her parents to see her like this. She especially didn’t want  _ Louis _ to see her like this.

“No,” she whispered, lifting her eyes briefly from her lap to his face before she dropped her gaze once more.

“What’s their number? I’ll let them know you’re safe,” he said, his tone staying soft and gentle. Marinette obediently rattled off a series of numbers and, when prompted, her parents' names, before withdrawing into herself once more. Distantly, she heard him dial the number, heard the phone ring several times before it was picked up. The phone wasn’t on speaker, but the volume was loud enough that she could easily make out both sides of the conversation. 

“Hello?” Tom Dupain asked by way of greeting. At the sound of her father’s voice, Marinette’s gaze flickered up once more.

“Hi, is this Tom Dupain?” Adrien asked.

“Yes. May I ask who’s calling?” Tom responded.

“My name is Adrien Agreste. I’m a friend of Marinette’s,” Adrien responded smoothly, his gaze flicking towards Marinette. She immediately looked away.

“Is she with you? She left her phone here and we were expecting her home twenty minutes ago…” Now, there was worry in her father’s voice and Marinette’s heart throbbed painfully. She was the cause of his worry. This was all her fault.

“Yes, she’s right here beside me. Marinette had a…” Here, Adrien paused to glance worriedly at her before he continued. “...a mishap on her way home. I’m taking her home now but was hoping you could watch Louis for the night? She’s a bit… out of sorts. I’ll bring her by to pick up Louis in the morning.”

“Yes, of course we can watch Louis. May I speak to Marinette?” Tom asked politely. Adrien glanced at Marinette in question but she was already holding out her hand, her face turned away from his.

“Hi, Papa,” Marinette said with a forced cheerfulness as she placed the phone at her ear. Adrien winced at the sound, but Tom seemed unable to detect the falsetto of her tone.

“Marinette, are you okay? He asked, warmth flooding his tone.

“I’m fine! I uh… I tripped. You know how much of a klutz I am. I hurt my ankle but Adrien was kind enough to bring me home,” she lied. Beside her, Adrien frowned in disapproval but she wasn’t looking at him and so she didn’t see the look she gave him.

“Alright… well, try to be more careful. I would hate to see you get hurt. Louis wants to say goodnight.” He said. Marinette opened her mouth to protest but stopped herself. If she declined to speak to her son, her parents would know something was wrong. Still, that didn’t stop the whimper that escaped her when Louis’ voice came over the line. Suddenly, she felt about three times as disgusted with herself. 

“Hi, Mama!” Louie chirped brightly, his voice filling the phone line with childlike enthusiasm.

“H-hi, baby,” Marinette said, tears overflowing once more. She could feel Adrien watching her but purposefully kept her face turned away.

“Can I come home? I want to see you, Mama,” the child whined plaintively.

“No, baby. Mommy doesn’t feel good. You’ll be a good boy for  _ Grand-mere _ and  _ Grand-pere _ , won’t you?

“Yes, Maman.”

“That’s my good be. I’ll see you tomorrow, Louie.”

“Okay… night, Mama.”

“Goodnight, Louie.”

She ended the call and handed the phone back to Adrien just as they pulled up outside her building. For what felt like an eternity, but in reality was no more than a few moments, neither of them spoke. Finally, Marinette turned to him intent on thanking him and bidding him a good night, but Adrien was already out of his door and around the car before she had a chance to speak. He hesitated briefly before offering her a hand. Marinette stared at it, uncertain, but after a moment she delicately placed her hand in his and allowed him to draw her from the vehicle. She retracted her hand almost immediately, eyes glued to the cement at their feet.

“I- I just wanted to say thank you. You… you saved my life tonight,” she whispered, refusing to meet his gaze. Adrien lifted a hand towards her but dropped it before his fingers could graze her cheek.

“You don’t have to thank me, Marinette. Come on, let’s get you upstairs,” his voice still hadn’t lost its gentle tone and she almost allowed herself to be lulled into a false sense of security before his words caught up with her.

“Wait, what?” She squawked.

“Marinette, you just suffered a traumatic experience. I’m not leaving you,” Adrien said, frowning at her slightly. She mustered up enough strength to glare at him.

“I can take care of myself,” she growled. Adrien arched a brow.

“Are you sure?” He asked archly before shame immediately filled his peridot green eyes. “ _ Shit _ , I’m sorry, Mari. I- I didn’t mean it.” 

“I know, Adrien,” she looked away briefly before turning back to him. “I want to be alone.”

“You can be alone in your room but I would be remiss if I left you here all alone tonight,” he gives her his most charming smile and she wavers.

“I can’t change your mind?”

“Highly unlikely,  _ ma princesse _ ,” he purred. Marinette gave him a long, lingering look before giving in with a sigh.

“Fine,” she grumbled, turning to stalk towards the building. Behind her, Adrien spoke quietly with his driver before hurrying to open the door of the building before she had the chance. She gave him an annoyed glare before sweeping past him and heading for the elevator. Adrien trotted after her, and within minutes Marinette was letting them into her apartment. In the walkway of her apartment, she shifted awkwardly, uncertain how to proceed. “Um… I’m going to take a shower. Help yourself to anything in the kitchen.”

Adrien nodded, understanding in his gaze, and without another word, Marinette fled. Behind the locked door of her bedroom, she stripped from her clothes, leaving everything in a pile to throw out later. She would rather burn the clothes but that wasn’t exactly safe in an apartment building so she would settle for throwing them away. Naked, she stepped into her bathroom resolutely avoiding her reflection in the mirror and turned on the shower. She didn’t bother with the cold tab, instead cranking the hot water on full blast. When she stepped under the spray, her skin immediately turned pink from the scalding spray. It was deliriously painful and she relished in it. Grabbing the loofah, Marinette spent the next thirty minutes and an entire bottle of her expensive, hard-to-get Coconut Breeze body wash on ensuring every inch of her body. It was only when she scrubbed away at least the first two layers of her skin that her adrenaline departed and allowed the events of the night finally catch back up to her. Sinking down into the bottom of the tub, Marinette wrapped her arms around her knees and once again allowed herself to cry. 

  
  


Adrien looked up as the bedroom door clicked open down the hall. The soft, almost inaudible sound of feet padding down the hallway reached his ears a moment before Marinette trudged into the living room. The apartment was in no way cold; in fact, it was actually rather hot. Marinette was apparently the kind of girl that liked keeping the heater on 80 at all times. You’d never have guessed it by the way she was dressed, however. Marinette was completely decked out in gray sweatpants, a baggy black hoodie that looked about three sizes too big and… were those fuzzy bunny slippers? Staring at her feet, he couldn’t help the small chuckle that escaped before he dragged his eyes back up to her face. She glared at him, her cheeks a distinct pink.

“Don’t judge me,” she grumbled, crossing her arms defensively. Despite his best efforts, his lips twitched. She looked so adorable with her wet hair clinging to her cheeks and her stupid slipped feet staring at him with googly bunny eyes. 

“Don’t laugh at me, either,” she growled, bottom lip jutting out petulantly. It was fairly obvious that some of her spirit had returned and she was feeling more herself. He chose not to comment on the puffy look to her eyes or her too-red nose that signified she had been crying again and instead held out a bowl.

“For you,” he explained when she looked at him skeptically, not even looking at the bowl he was offering. When he pressed it closer, she finally looked down at it and arched a brow.

“Ice cream?” She asked. “I haven’t even had dinner.”

“Dinner is for schmucks. Live a little, Princess. Haven’t you ever had ice cream for dinner before?” He asked, grinning broadly. She gave him a deadpan look and shook her head.

“No, can’t say that I have…” She retorted.

“Whatever did you do before you met me?” He asked, thrusting the bowl into her hands before grabbing his own and a can of whipped cream off the counter. He put more than a little whipped cream on both bowls of the  _ Death By Chocolate _ ice cream, before holding out the canister expectantly.

“Adrien, you can’t be serious,” she sighed as he poised the can in front of her mouth. He offered a boyish grin in response.

“Say  _ ahhh _ , Marinette,” he said.

“What are we? Five?” She asked, rolling her eyes.

“I’m six, thank you very much. Now, let loose; live a little; and say ‘ah’,” he commanded and reluctantly, she did what she was told. She snorted in amusement as he overfilled her mouth with whipped cream and she placed a hand in front of her mouth as her tongue darted out to capture the sweet substance and keep it from dribbling down her chin. Adrien looked away at the provocative sight and instead steered her towards the living room. Once she was settled on the couch, he flipped on the television. While she was in the shower, he had found her stash of children’s movies and found  _ Peter Pan II; Return to Neverland _ . Since she had said it was one of her favorites, he hoped she would be able to focus on the movie instead. He must have made an accurate decision because her face lit up with delight when the opening title began to play. 

Adrien glanced at Marinette where she lay, curled up on the couch. She had pulled a fuzzy blanket from the back of the sofa and cocooned herself in it. She had to be hot in the apartment’s sweltering heat, but if he looked closely enough he could see she was still shivering. Frowning slightly, he crossed to join her but rather than sit on the couch, he sat on the floor in front of it. He didn’t want to crowd her. The pair watched the movie in almost complete silence, and for the first twenty or so minutes the only sound was the clink of spoons against their bowls and the occasional chuckle. Hyper aware of her though he was, Adrien didn’t notice her reach for him until her fingers brushed against his shoulder. He jumped, startled, and she jerked back as if stung, eyes blown wide with alarm. Adrien immediately winced at his reaction and smiled apologetically.

“Sorry, you startled me,” he said quickly, offering her a warm smile. Marinette was slow to return the gesture, but eventually, she did with a hint of hesitance. “Do you need me to get you anything?”

“N-no… I just… why are you on the floor?” She asked, suddenly sounding nervous. Adrien wasn’t expecting that question but he answered nonetheless.

“I was trying to give you space. I don’t want to crowd you,” he admitted a bit sheepish and awkward. She frowned slightly.

“I’m not afraid of you,” she said firmly, and up until that moment, Adrien hadn’t even realized that was one of his fears. The intense wave of relief that washed over him made it pretty obvious though. He had been worried she would grow uncomfortable around him.

“I’m glad,” he said, grinning broadly. She hesitated another moment before patting the seat beside her in invitation. When Adrien rose, she smiled in invitation and moved to the center cushion so that he could take the cushion by the arm. He took his seat and turned to focus on the move but was distracted by the soft press of a warm body curling into him. He stiffened and Marinette immediately pulled back, worry in her cerulean eyes.

“Sorry,” she mumbled quickly, withdrawing. Adrien caught her wrist and smiled gently, his thumb rubbing back and forth against the back of her hand.

“You don’t have to apologize, Marinette. Come here,” he smiled warmly and gave her a light tug, his grip loose in order to give her a chance to pull away if she chose to do so. She didn’t choose to. Immense relief in her gaze, he went to him willingly. Her arms wrapped around his middle and her head rested against his chest as she snuggled in. A contented sigh escaped her as she relaxed.

“You’re comfortable,” she mumbled drowsily. Adrien didn’t respond, too caught up in the fact that Marinette had nestled herself in such a way that she was practically in his lap. Not that he was complaining. Eventually, they wound up with Adrien laying on the couch, Marinette laying on top of him, their legs tangled. The intimacy of their position was not lost on either of them, but it was a comfortable sort of intimacy and neither wanted to break away from the other. The first movie ended, and a second was started and finished. Halfway through the third movie, Marinette drifted into a mercifully dreamless sleep and Adrien carefully carried her to the bedroom and tucked her in. Returning to the couch, he found a pillow and the fuzzy blanket Marinette had discarded in favor of his natural, humanly warmth and settled back onto the couch to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Catch you guys next time ;)


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which fluff is a thing that happens and oh God, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to leave you guys with another cliffhanger but it was necessary...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Longest chapter yet at over 9000 words!!! After giving you a bunch of angsty chapters, I decided to be nice and give you the official start of the Adrienette Fluffy Wagon ;) Enjoy, my children. I did this for YOU

Nathalie Sancoeur replaced the phone on the receiver, a troubled expression on her face. She was used to awakening early to get started on the day’s work and true, most mornings she found herself inevitably taking care of some crisis or another. However, the phone call she had just finished had left her thoroughly disturbed. She glanced at the clock on her laptop screen.  **6:50 AM** . Most likely, her boss would still be awake. More importantly, Adrien would  _ not _ be awake yet. Rising, Nathalie smoothed down her mint green blouse and dark gray pencil skirt before grabbing her tablet and departing her office. Nathalie had been working for Gabriel Agreste since he first started his business. Why she had stayed so long was honestly beyond her. Gabriel Agreste wasn’t exactly a  _ bad _ boss, but he wasn’t anywhere near employer of the year either. He paid well; enough that she could quit now and live out the rest of her days comfortably. Working almost around the clock barely left time to sleep, let alone do anything she enjoyed or, heaven forbid, take a vacation. The fact that she lived in the Agreste Mansion in order to be available to her boss at a moment’s notice also meant she didn’t have any bills.

That being said, Gabriel Agreste was a hardass and he was certainly the reason behind most of her prematurely gray hairs. Failure was not an option with him and she was not looking forward to relaying the news she had just received. Unfortunately, she was not a procrastinator and so the middle-aged woman found herself striding through the foyer and up the stairs, the click of her heels echoing loudly in the silent mansion. At the top of the stairs, she paused to look at the black ball of fluff currently taking up almost an entire step. The black cat was completely stretched out; even his toes were stretched. He opened his acid green eyes to blink at her before closing them once more. Plagg. 

Truth be told, Nathalie had never minded the cat’s presence. Gabriel and Chloe, of course, hated him but they tolerated him because of Adrien. Well, Gabriel did. Chloe still tried to murder the feline every chance she got. Nathalie had a sort of understanding with the cat, however. He didn’t trip her up and bother her when she was busy, which was admittedly most of the time, and she allowed him to accompany her in her office when she was burning the midnight oil. The cat seemed to like her office, especially her desk, and she would be lying if she said she didn’t enjoy his company during particularly late nights. So, she let him keep her company by sleeping on her desk. And if the cat perhaps chose to lay on her paperwork and demand attention, she might occasionally be prone to giving him what he wanted… at least when no one else was looking.

Reaching down quickly, Nathalie gave the normally grouchy feline a quick scratch behind one black ear before straightening up and continuing on her way. The door to Gabriel Agreste’s office was closed, as it usually was, but she knocked firmly three times when she reached it. A moment passed before a monotonous, ‘Come in’ echoed through the thick wood. Nathalie let herself inside, closing the door behind her. Across the room, Gabriel Agreste had already returned to his work, scribbling notes furiously in the margins of one of the companies newest designs. She crossed the office in long, rapid strides and cleared her throat sharply. Gabriel lifted his head and his brows in surprise. Normally, she was more than content to wait for him to address her but the matter at hand was rather… pressing.

“What is it, Nathalie?” Gabriel asked impatiently, his eyes flicking back down to his work. Even when he was younger and less… stoic… he had hated when people interrupted his work. The only person who had ever managed to do so without issue had been Linette Agreste, Gabriel’s wife.

“I have news… from the Brun Brothers,” Nathalie responded stiffly, and immediately Gabriel sat up with a gleam in his eyes.

“Did they talk to the Dupain-Cheng girl?” He asked, folding his hands on the desk and looking at her expectantly. If he noticed the way her mouth thinned or the way her eyes darkened, he made no comment.

“They  _ attacked  _ her,” she spat, struggling to contain her anger. Gabriel sat up, genuine surprise flickering in his gaze along with something else. On anyone else, she might have called it  _ remorse _ or  _ regret _ but this was Gabriel Agreste. He never felt remorse or regret.

“That is… unfortunate. Is she alive?” He asked bluntly, turning back to his work. Nathalie clenched her fists and didn’t respond immediately as she tried to tamp down her need to smack this man upside the head.

“Yes, but that is hardly the point,” she growled. Gabriel gave her a brief, droll look as if he had grown impatient with the conversation.

“What is the point, Miss Sancoeur?”

“She could have been seriously injured. One of them  _ molested _ her. He was  _ gloating _ about it,” Nathalie gave up any pretense of calmness as she fairly snarled the words at him. Gabriel’s eyebrows inched up even further in surprise.

“Why do you care what happens to her? What is she to you?” He inquired, looking genuinely curious and not at all affected by what she was telling him. Nathalie lost her temper and slammed her hands down on the desk, leaning forward until they were nose to nose.

“SHE’S AN INNOCENT WOMAN YOU CALLOUS, UNCARING, EGOTISTICAL ASSHOLE!” She snapped, cheeks reddening in ire. Gabriel leaned away from her, annoyance flickering across his face.

“Nathalie, perhaps you ought to take the day off. You seem to be forgetting your place.” He responded evenly. Nathalie gaped at him, dumbfounded, as Gabriel Agreste turned back to his work. That was it? He was just…  _ dismissing _ her? She knew she could go to the police. She might not have proof, but it wouldn’t be difficult to get Marinette to testify. Adrien would be harder, but not impossible. Not once she told him everything his father had done to keep him from his children. Yet even as the thought flickered through her mind, she knew she wouldn’t act on it. Years ago, she had sold her soul to this devil when she began working for him. She didn’t have the courage to throw that away. If she did, she would have left years ago. Turning on her heel, she left the office without another word. Gabriel Agreste didn’t even look up from his work as she departed. He had effectively dismissed her from both his presence and his mind.

 

Waking up was an agonizing process for Marinette. When she opened her eyes, the events of the night before immediately flooded her mind drawing a sharp whimper from her throat. She closed her eyes, hoping to return to the blissful emptiness of sleep, but doing so only enhanced the clarity of her memories.  Running a hand over her face roughly, she sat up and was surprised to find herself in her bed. The last thing she remembered was watching Disney movies with Adrien on the  _ couch _ . Chewing on her bottom lip, she glanced around the bedroom. Her clothes from yesterday lay on the floor where she had left them. Her bathroom door was ajar, the light on. She wasn’t sure if she had left it on, or if Adrien had so that she wouldn’t find herself in total darkness should she awaken in the middle of the night. The blinds on her window were drawn but early morning sunlight streamed through the slats, undeterred.

The clock on her bedside table read **8:23** **AM** and with a groan, she swung her legs over the side of the bed. She was still wearing her hoodie and sweatpants and now, the heat was almost unbearable. The clothing stuck to her skin and she was drenched in sweat. Right, shower first. Shucking off her clothes, she padded into the bathroom and turned on the shower. She was pleased to note that while last night still haunted her, dogging at the back of her mind like a persistent mosquito, she no longer had the desire to boil herself alive by way of shower. She set the heat at a much more reasonable setting than she had the night before and waited for it to warm up before stepping into the tub. She took her time in the shower, relaxing under the warm spray, before stepping out and wrapping a big, fluffy towel around her body. She wrapped another around her hair while she moved to the sink to brush her teeth.

Getting ready was a simple affair. She towel dried her hair until it was just barely damp before brushing all the tangles from it and tying it in a high, simple bun. Clothing wise, she went with a pair of pink short shorts (cough*booty shorts*cough) and a white camisole that bared a bit of her midriff. She completed the look with her pink bunny slippers. The apartment was still unnaturally warm, as she preferred it to be. Marinette had always disliked the cold and preferred to keep her apartment nice and toasty at all times. Dressed for a tranquil morning at home, Marinette left her bedroom and padded down the hall towards the kitchen. She nearly screamed when she entered the living room and saw the blonde model sprawled half on and half off her couch, lips parted slightly. She clamped her hand over her mouth to stop the shriek, so in the end, only a thin whine of surprise escaped.

Dropping her hands, she stared at Adrien. She should have known he would still be here when she woke up. He had been pretty adamant about staying the night before but she assumed he would leave when she was asleep. Apparently, his sense of chivalry was much stronger than she had originally given him credit for. After much debate, Marinette forced her legs to carry her across the room until she stood at the edge of the couch. She reached out, fully intending to wake him up, but paused just before her fingers touched his bare shoulder. _ Where is this man’s goddamn shirt!?!? _ Adrien had always been gorgeous and she’s be lying if she didn’t admit to having a huge crush on him back when she was a teenager. In fact, she had gone through a very creepy and quasi-stalkerish stage back when she was thirteen that had included a wall of photos of him (more like a shrine to be completely honest) and a schedule depicting his every move throughout middle school. Don’t ask her where she got it… she had her sources. The point being… wait, what was her point again? Well, anyway. Adrien was, admittedly, drop dead gorgeous and it wasn’t like she was going to get another chance to freely ogle him like this ever again. 

So, Marinette pulled back slightly and studied him. In a very non-creepy, non-stalkerish,  _ totally normal _ way, mind you. Sleeping as he was, there was almost a child-like quality to Adrien’s face. A boyish innocence that appealed to her. His mop of golden blonde hair was mussed from sleep and she couldn’t help but reach up and run her fingers lightly through the silky locks. In his sleep, Adrien fairly purred and pressed closer to her touch. She withdrew her hand, worried, but when Adrien didn’t wake up she returned her fingers to his hair before tracing the tips down the side of his face and across his chiseled jawline. Her thumb brushed lightly over his lips and she swallowed thickly before pulling her hand back. Although his eyes remained closed, Adrien moved suddenly, his hand encircling her wrist and bringing her hand back to his mouth.

Marinette’s breath hitched unsteadily as Adrien’s eyes flickered open, meeting her startled gaze as he pressed a warm, soft kiss to the back of her hand. His gaze was heavy-lidded, nowhere near full wakefulness, and if it wasn’t the sexiest thing she had ever witnessed before… she wasn’t sure what was. His peridot eyes flickered over her, not entirely focused before a slow grin stretched across his lips. “Mornin’, Princess,” he mumbled, his voice husky from sleep. Marinette’s face flamed as she blushed clear up to the roots of her hair.

“M-m-m-morning A-Adrien,” she stammered, standing abruptly. The grip on her wrist didn’t budge as Adrien looked up at her petulantly.

“Where are you going?” He whined sullenly.

“Um… Um.. b-breakfast? Coffee. Some I’ll make! I mean! I’ll some make. No! I mean I’ll go. Make some. Right now,” she squeaked, gesturing frantically towards the kitchen with her free hand while tugging at the wrist he held. Adrien gave her a sad, kitten-eyed look and tugged her a step closer.

“I’m not hungry, Mari. I want something  _ else _ ,” he proclaimed, a sly smile lighting his face. He still looked somewhat half asleep and she was starting to wonder if perhaps he was sleep talking. Was sleep seducing a thing? It ought to be because Adrien Agreste was really goddamn good at it and  _ man _ was her apartment suddenly way too hot.

“W-w-what d-do y-y-you want, A-Adrien?” Marinette squawked, her face tingling from the sheer heat of her blush. The slow grin and heavy-lidded eyes were back.

“You,” he purred, yanking her down on top of him. Marinette yelped, startled as she suddenly found herself on the very bare, very  _ defined _ chest of one Adrien Michael Agreste. Adrien shifted, rolling them so that she lay between him and the back of the couch. Not entirely on top of her, but he would have to move if she had any hope of getting up anytime soon. Adrien’s hands wrapped around her waist, his fingers edging her camisole up ever so slightly. His hands were hot; she almost felt as if he were branding her skin with his touch. She swallowed thickly but strangely, despite the events of the previous night, she felt no fear. She knew, without a shred of doubt in her mind, that she was safe with Adrien Agreste. Even sleepy, seductive Adrien wouldn’t hurt her. Of that, she was certain.

The blonde-haired man pulled her closer, dropping his face into the crook of her neck and shoulder and sighing with pleasure. She shivered involuntarily as his breath fanned across her bare skin. “Hey um… Adrien?” She squeaked nervously. He hummed in response, his nose skimming back and forth across her jaw. It was incredibly distracting and she had to take a moment to gather her scattered thoughts. “U-um… wh-where is y-your shirt?”

Adrien lifted her head with a bemused expression on his face, glancing down at his chest before looking around. When the shirt didn’t suddenly appear out of thin air, he gave a half-hearted shrug before returning his face to the crook of her neck. “Don’t know,” he mumbled, not sounding entirely bent-out-of-shape about it.

“Wh-why did you take it off?” She inquired, breath hitching.

“You keep your apartment unusually hot,” he replied, sounding strangely lucid for a person who was half asleep.

“M-maybe you c-could go um… find it?” She suggested hopefully. He shook his head, his nose skimming along her throat with the movement.

“Can’t. You’re too soft,” he whined.

“I um… I d-don’t know i-if this is r-r-really appropriate, c-considering you’re e-eng-gaged,” she tried again. Adrien only tightened his hold on her in protest.

“Ten more minutes,” he mumbled. Marinette relented if only because Adrien was acting like a cuddly kitten and despite her embarrassment, the hard press of him against her admittedly softer body had warmth curling in the pit of her stomach. In a totally, strictly platonic way of course, because Adrien Agreste was very much engaged and  _ of course _ she wasn’t thinking about him in a sexual way when he had a fiancee. Time seemed to stand still as they lay on the couch and slowly, Marinette began to relax against him. She wasn’t sure how much time passed, maybe twenty or thirty minutes, but eventually the sleepy haze Adrien had found himself in began to retract. Marinette, unabashedly staring at his face with a rather dopey grin on her face, was privy to the exact moment Adrien came fully awake and realized he had essentially accosted her.

The way his eyes widened was almost comical, as was the way he went from golden tan to beet red in a matter of seconds. Marinette was silent as his eyes traveled from her face, down the length of her body, taking in what she was wearing and the fact that he was, in fact, shirtless. As if he had been burned, Adrien released her and jerked backward, falling off the couch with a painful sounding  _ thump _ . Amused and concerned, Marinette leaned over the edge of the couch to stare down at him. Adrien was on his back, feet planted on the ground and hands covering his rapidly reddening face so that his knees and elbows were level with one another. He almost looked about ready to begin doing a set of crunches. Despite herself, Marinette giggled and the sound was enough to prompt Adrien to uncover half of his face… if for no other reason than to glare balefully at her.

“I’m glad you find my mortification amusing,” he offered dryly, earning a cheeky grin from the woman above him. Her embarrassment was long forgotten in the face of his.

“Aw, I think it’s cute how cuddly you are in the morning, Mr. Agreste,” she teased, bluebell eyes shining with mirth. He removed his other hand to fully glare at her.

“You’re clearly delusional, Miss Dupain-Cheng. I am  _ not _ cute. I am rugged and manly, and very macho,” he announced, puffing out his chest as best he could from the ground. The ebony-haired woman arched a brow and nodded along sardonically.

“Oh yes,  _ Very _ macho and manly. But also insanely cute when half asleep,” she teased, reaching down to ruffle his hair. He caught her wrist before she could touch his soft golden locks and gave her a withering look.

“I am  _ not _ cute,” he reiterated. Tugging free of his grip, Marinette bounced to her feet and offered him a hand, a lopsided grin on her face. Adrien took the hand and rose, immediately dwarfing her with his greater height. For a moment, Marinette faltered, eyes unable to tear away from the bare chest in front of her. At least until the knowing smirk lit up Adrien’s face and the need to wipe that look from his face overpowered her need to shamelessly ogle him.

“Why Adrien Agreste, I do believe you’re the cutest man I’ve ever laid eyes on,” she drawled in a nearly flawless imitation of a southern accent. Stooping down, she scooped up his discarded shirt and tossed it at him with another smile. “Get dressed. I don’t want to cook so we’ll have to venture out to find sustenance,” she warned before turning and heading off to change in her bedroom. She could practically feel his gaze burning into her backside as she flounced off and for the record,  _ no _ she absolutely was not swaying her hips for his benefit. That was just how she normally walked.

  
  


Adrien grinned as he shamelessly watched the woman sashay out of the room, hips swaying like a pendulum. The second she disappeared down the hall, he shook himself fiercely.  _ Focus Agreste, _ he chastised silently, pulling the discarded shirt over his head and smoothing out the wrinkles to the best of his ability. Dress shirts were not meant to be tossed haphazardly on the ground but for once, he wasn’t overly concerned about his less than perfect appearance. Running his fingers through his hair, Adrien dropped back onto the couch. His earlier amusement fled as he thought back to the night before and suddenly, he felt like a jerk. Granted, Marinette hadn’t exactly looked like she  _ minded _ their close proximity when he had fully awoken to find her in his arms. Rather, she looked like she had been openly ogling him. He was a model. He was kind of used to that sort of attention but with Marinette, it felt… different. Less awkward or uncomfortable and more… flattering. Still, he probably ought to apologize. He had technically touched her without her permission and he definitely didn’t want her to believe he was anything like those two brutes last night.

Speaking of last night, he knew he ought to broach the subject before they left the apartment. He just wasn’t sure how Marinette would feel about him probing for answers. Unfortunately, there was only one way to find out and the soft click of the bedroom door reopening announced that he had run out of time.  _ Welp, no time like the present, _ he thought ruefully as Marinette padded into view. His thoughts nearly derailed at the sight of her. The booty shorts and camisole had been mouthwatering, but nothing could prepare him for Marinette in black leather leggings and a red cashmere sweater. She had completed the look with a pair of black, high heeled boots. The boots were laced up the front and sported two buckles near the top with silver buckles. They were kind of like combat boots but much more feminine. Her hair was loose once more and it looked as if she had curled it because big, ebony ringlets framed a heart-shaped face that was now blushing a pretty pink under his scrutiny. He looked away as his own blush rose unbidden.

“Adrien? Is everything okay?” Marinette asked, worry lacing her tone.

“Um, yeah. Yeah, no you just… you look really nice,” he said, his voice sounding embarrassingly gruff. He chanced a glance at her face and saw her trying to hide a pleased smile at the compliment.

“Oh um… thank you, Adrien! Are you ready to go?” She chirped brightly.

“In just a minute. I- I wanted to talk to you first,” he said, patting the seat beside him. There was a moment of hesitance before Marinette crossed the room to sit beside him. The couch shifted slightly as she sat down and he turned, angling his body towards her before picking up one of her hands in his.

“Adrien?” Marinette sounded concerned, but she didn’t pull away so he took that as a good sign and rubbed circles on her wrist with his thumb.

“I want to apologize first. For this morning. I was half asleep and I  _ know _ that’s not an excuse but-” he broke off as Marinette covered his mouth with her free hand. He looked up at her, confused, but she just smiled gently.

“I- I didn’t mind, Adrien,” she assured him quietly. “You don’t have to apologize I- I like being close to you. Perhaps more than I should,” she admitted, looking away. Adrien blushed, looking down at their intertwined fingers.

“O-oh. I- I like being close to you too,” he admitted awkwardly. He could feel her gaze on his face but he didn’t look up.

“O-oh. W-well, I’m glad we’re on the same page,” Marinette said with a hint of amusement in her voice. He decided now was a good time to change the subject.

“R-right. Um, anyway. We should talk about last night,” he said slowly. Immediately Marinette stiffened, her fingers tightening involuntarily around his.

“I don’t want to talk about it,” she said.

“We have to,” he coaxed.

“No.”

“ _ Marinette _ .”

“ _ Adrien. _ ”

“You can’t avoid the subject forever,” he insisted, tightening his hold on her hand when she would have pulled away. Marinette bowed her head, tucking her chin in her chest and allowing her hair to cover her face.

“Why are you doing this to me?” She whimpered.

“Because I care. Do you know who those men were?” He coaxed, trying to see her face through the curtain of blue-black curls.

“No.” She said immediately. Somehow, he immediately knew she was lying.

“Marinette, if you know who they are you need to tell me. We have to go to the police,” Adrien said as gently as he could, despite the frustration rising within him. Her head snapped up, cerulean eyes blown wide with panic, and suddenly she was gripping his hand like a lifeline.

“NO!” She gasped, shaking her head emphatically. “No. No police. I-I-I I c-can’t. He- He’ll f-find o-out,” she stammered, positively shaking with fear.

“ _ Shhh _ , Marinette it’s okay.  _ Breathe _ ,” Adrien pulled her closer, his heart nearly breaking as he felt her practically vibrating with fear. “It’s okay. No one is going to hurt you.”

“N-no, A-Adrien. If he f-finds out h-he’ll… h-he’ll g-go after Emma and L-Louis,” she gasped, hiccupping at the end of her sentence.

“Who, Marinette? Who will come after Emma and Louis?” Adrien coaxed, a sudden wave of protectiveness flooding through him at the thought of anyone harming the cherub-faced five-year-olds.

“I-I-I c-can’t,” Marinette shook her head emphatically.

“You can, Marinette. I can help you,” the man pleaded, almost desperately now. She looked away resisting when he cupped her chin and tried to get her to look at him. He persisted, and finally, her blue eyes reluctantly connected with his green ones. Her face was unnaturally pale, the whites of her eyes pink from the tears rolling steadily down her cheeks. His stomach tightened as his thumb gently brushed the scratch on her cheek. She could have been seriously wounded last night. Worse, she could have been raped and murdered. He had almost lost her and now when he was trying his damnedest to protect her, she wasn’t letting him. “Mari, please?” He asked gently. She sobbed and shook her head as best she could, what with him holding her chin and all.

“I can’t. I w-want to b-but I can’t. He- you can’t protect me, Adrien. N-not from h-him,” she whispered, closing her eyes in remorse. Adrien sagged in defeat, knowing he wasn’t going to get a straight answer from her. But that was okay. If she wasn’t going to answer him, he would just have to ensure he was always around to keep her safe. Chloe would be furious, of course… and his father wouldn’t like it. But eventually, they would come to understand, right? Hopefully. Cupping her face gently, he ran his thumbs under her eyes, removing the tears from her eyes. Her bluebell eyes opened, tears caught in her long lashes making them sparkle like gemstones. His heart skipped a beat involuntarily.

“It’s okay, Mari. We- we’ll figure this out. We’ll keep the twins safe,” he assured her gently. She blinked up at him, her face guarded and wary but hopeful.

“You promise?” She whispered. He smiled and nodded.

“I promise, Marinette.” He leaned down and brushed his lips against her forehead, ignoring the way his heart rate picked as she sighed contentedly and leaned into him. It would be so easy to trail his mouth down her cheeks, kissing away her tears until he made his way to her mouth. She wouldn’t stop him from kissing her. He knew that with sudden clarity. If he kissed her, she would kiss him back willingly. Enthusiastically even. As much as he wanted to test his theory though, Adrien found himself pulling away from her instead. She wasn’t his, and he wasn’t hers. He was engaged to another and it wouldn’t be fair to Chloe  _ or  _ Marinette if he were to act upon his selfish desires. So he released her, albeit reluctantly, and gave her a faux smile that neither of them bought. “So, I do believe you mentioned going out to get breakfast?”

  
  


The air was cool as they stepped out of the apartment building, but the sun was out and the sky was a nearly uninterrupted blue… save for a few fluffy white clouds. The two walked in comfortable silence, unhurried as they walked side by side. At this time of the morning, Paris was relatively quiet. It was a beautiful Sunday morning and unless they were already at work, most people would be at home relaxing with their families. It’s what Adrien knew he ought to be doing, but that didn’t stop him from turning off his cell phone after seeing that he had 86 missed calls from Chloe. Surprisingly, he didn’t have any from his father or Nathalie but he wasn’t going to question his good fortune. Sliding the cell phone back into his pocket, he glanced discreetly over at his dark-haired companion. Marinette was quiet as they walked, but she certainly looked better. Her eyes were still slightly puffy, but the color had returned to her skin and she looked relatively relaxed as she walked beside him.

Looking up, Marinette caught his gaze on her and arched one brow in silent question. Adrien shook his head and looked away, cheeks warming. The walk to the cafe wasn’t a terribly long one and Marinette found herself coming to a halt outside the doors while Adrien, lost in thought as he was, kept walking several paces before he realized she was no longer with him. He looked back and she smiled in amusement and gestured towards the cafe in front of her. Backtracking, he smiled sheepishly. “Whoops. Guess I have a lot on my mind,” he admitted, grabbing the door handle and pulling it open before she had the chance. Marinette smiled at the gallant gesture and stepped inside the bustling cafe. The sound of people chattering, the whir of machines working, and the click of fingers on keyboard formed a constant white noise in the background as the pair made their way to the line in front of the cash register. There were about eight people in front of them, so Adrien turned to Marinette with a grin.

“This is an interesting place,” he commented thoughtfully.

“Isn’t it?  _ Le Haricot Occupé  _ is one of my favorite Cafes. Plus, it’s close to the apartment,” she said with a grin, her own gaze dancing across the cafe’s interior. The shop was small, with a glass front, but the rest of it was made of red brick. Tables and chairs littered the building, and there were a few seating areas with couches and armchairs for added comfort. Most of the tables and chairs were occupied by college students, hard at work on essays and tests as they sipped from coffee mugs. In one corner, a small stage was set up with a stool and microphone and to the right of the counter, the entire wall was covered in art. 

“What’s with the drawings? I’ve never seen any of these,” he said, nodding to the wall. Marinette followed his gaze.

“This place is heavily occupied by artists so the owners let people post their work to that wall and people will post sticky notes to them with comments and suggestions. I’ve never put any of my work up there, but I have friends who do,” she explained. Adrien nodded before turning in the opposite direction.

“And the stage? Don’t tell me this is a karaoke joint?” He grinned impishly and laughing, she shook her head.

“No, but they do have open mic poetry nights every Tuesday and Thursday. It’s really cool. We could go together if you want…” She offered., Adrien watched her amused as she realized what she had just said almost instantly. Her face burst into flames and she quickly backtracked. “I-I-I m-mean… with Alya and Nino. And me. The four of us could go. Together. A-as friends. N-nothing else,” she stammered. He grinned and leaned closer, eyes twinkling wickedly as he took pleasure in the way he clearly affected her.

“Just friends? What if I wanted you all to myself? As  _ more _ than friends,  _ ma princesse _ ?” He purred. Marinette’s expression flattened out and she used a finger to push him deftly back by the nose.

“Flirting is off limits while you’re engaged, Agreste,” she said firmly, a smirk dancing across her lips. Adrien pouted and would have protested when a new voice rang out enthusiastically from the front of the counter.

“Marinette!” The distinctly  _ male _ voice of one of the Baristas called out. Several people glanced up at the exuberant greeting before turning back to their coffees. Marinette leaned out of line slightly to get a better look; even in three-inch heels, she was shorter than most of the people in line. Adrien followed her gaze and scowled at the scrawny looking redhead standing behind the counter.

“Adrien, can you hold my spot in line?” Marinette asked, smiling up at him before breaking away from the line and moving to join the red-headed barista. Adrien scowled, unhappy with the sudden turn of events. Still six people away from the counter, he could barely make out what Marinette and the other man were talking about, despite how he strained to hear. He growled as the raven-haired beauty laughed, causing the man in front of him to give him a sympathetic look. Adrien ignored him in favor of scowling unabashedly at the man who had stolen his Mari away from him.  _ Wait, _ he thought, frowning to himself.  _ My Mari? Where did that even come from. She’s not mi- oh  _ hell _ no _ , his scowl intensified as the redhead leaned over the counter, a distinctly flirtatious look on his face. 

Adrien waited impatiently for Marinette to push the tomatohead back the way she had done to him, but she just laughed and nodded at what he was saying. Why wasn’t she pushing him away? She had pushed  _ him _ away and he was much better looking than that stupid tomatohead. It wasn’t fair! Marinette ought to be looking at  _ him _ with those sparkly bluebell eyes and that charmingly sardonic little half smile of hers. She should have been giggling at  _ him _ not some scrawny barista with unnaturally bright red hair. A heavy hand landed on his shoulder, jarring Adrien from his thoughts. He reluctantly ripped his gaze from the duo at the counter and looked instead up at the man standing in front of him.

“If she’s worth it, you should make your move now. A pretty girl like that? She’ll be snapped up in a heartbeat,” the older man said wisely, winking before releasing his shoulder. Adrien opened his mouth to explain he had no rightful claim on the ravenette, but the words died in his throat. Yes, he was engaged to another but he would be lying if he didn’t admit that there was something special between him and Marinette. Something that he desperately wanted to explore even if she was adamant about keeping their relationship strictly platonic. Mind made up, he abandoned the line and strode towards the pair with a determined look on his face.

  
  


Nathaniel Kurtzberg’s day began like most others. It was Sunday, which meant he was awake by  **6:45 AM** . Most Sundays, Nathaniel would sit in his one bedroom apartment and look out over the city from his balcony. He would have his sketchbook on hand, of course, and he would just draw whatever came to mind. Sometimes, he drew the city that had been his home since he was eight years old. Paris was a romantic city with a penchant for gothic architecture on some of the older buildings. Other times, he would look down and draw the hustle and bustle of the ever-constant flow of people moving through the streets on their way to work, or to visit friends and family, or to run errands. Most days, he drew the woman that had captured his heart years ago when he was only eight years old. Nathaniel remembered the day like it was yesterday. He had only been in Paris for a few days before he was thrown into a school where he barely even knew the language, let alone anyone his age.

 

**Twenty Years Ago**

_ “Class, we have a new student joining us today. This is Nathaniel Kurtzberg from America,” Madame Colette said, nudging the scrawny child out from behind her a bit forcefully. Nathaniel blushed almost as red as his hair and dropped his eyes as the other students blinking curiously. “Nathaniel? Why don’t you tell the class a little bit about yourself?” _

_ The child balked, staring at her slack-jawed before shooting a panicky glance at the open, curious faces of his classmates as they stared back at them. He shook his head vehemently, clamping his jaw shut as he backed away. The teacher frowned, perhaps a bit disapproving at his shyness. _

_ “Mr. Kurtzberg, these are to be your classmates. They want to get to know you,” she said. Nathaniel frowned, mostly understanding what she was saying. He could understand French for the most part, but he had never actually learned how to speak it and he just knew if he tried now, he would completely butcher the words and everybody would laugh at him and then he would be hated by his schoolmates for the rest of his days and- _

_ “Madame?” A soft, feminine voice broke through the haze of Nathaniel’s thoughts and he looked up nervously to where a girl sat in the middle of the room. She sat at one of the circular tables with a caramel-skinned auburn-haired girl sporting wire-framed glasses on one side, and a scrawny, dark-skinned boy with thick-framed glasses, a red ball cap, and orange headphones around his neck. The girl who has spoken was half-standing from her seat, hand raised in the air. She was tiny, even for an eight-year-old. Her blue-black hair was in two pigtails tied with big, red bows and big, bluebell eyes dominated her face. Those eyes were now wide and earnest in her quest for the teacher’s attention. _

_ “Yes, Marinette?” Madame Colette’s annoyance seemed to fade as she turned expectantly to the little girl. Marinette hopped fully from her seat and Nathaniel found himself eyeing her outfit. She wore a knee-length denim dress cinched at the waist with a red ribbon that matched the bows in her hair, and sparkly red ballet flats. When she smiled, Nathaniel noted she was missing one of her front teeth and he found the look oddly endearing. He blushed brighter as she turned her cerulean eyes on him. _

_ “I was just thinking that Nathaniel is new to France right? Maybe he isn’t very good at speaking French yet?” She suggested. By this point, every eye in the room was on Marinette. She seemed to command attention, even at her age, and Nathaniel was thoroughly captivated. Madame Colette looked thoughtful before glancing at him. _

_ “Is this true, Nathaniel?” She asked, her voice gentler. He jumped, tearing his gaze away from the dark-haired girl to blink at the teacher before nodding awkwardly. _

_ “My Maman taught me to speak English, Miss. I can translate for him if you want,” she offered, grinning warmly. Nathaniel didn’t know the girl, but he had a feeling that she was the type of girl who always had a smile on her face. Her whole persona screamed sunshine and rainbows and… and optimism… and he was totally hooked. He could barely stand to take his eyes off of her. _

_ “That is very kind of you, Marinette. Alright, come on down,” the teacher moved to sit back at her desk while Marinette skipped down the walkway to join him. She smiled and stuck her hand out in greeting. _

_ “I’m Marinette,” she greeted in flawless English. Nathaniel relaxed immediately and gave her a relieved smile as he accepted her hand. _

_ “N-N-Nathaniel,” he stammered awkwardly. She grinned, unperturbed by his sudden shyness, and shook his hand firmly before releasing him. _

_ “Okay, Nathaniel, tell me about yourself!” Marinette chirped. The other students watched raptly as Nathaniel and Marinette conversed for several moments before she nodded and turned back to the class. Their interest piqued, they leaned forward and listened with rapt attention as she swapped easily from English to French. “This is Nathaniel Kurtzberg. He is eight years old and recently moved here from Seattle, Washington with his mom. Nathaniel likes art, comic books, and reading. He likes to draw in his free time and he’s looking forward to making friends with us this year,” she said, glancing at her new friend warmly. _

_ Nathaniel was nearly overwhelmed as hands shot up all around the room and questions were rattled off rapid-fire by his peers. It would seem that with Marinette’s acceptance of the new kid, everyone wanted to get to know him better. He answered their questions to the best of his ability, and when he had trouble Marinette was quick to come to his rescue. What should have been a two-minute introduction wound up taking nearly twenty minutes but eventually, the teacher draws the class back to order. _

_ “Since you two work so well together, why don’t you sit at Marinette’s table,” Madame Colette suggested. Nathaniel didn’t get a chance to respond before the pigtailed girl was grabbing his wrist and pulling him up to her table. She introduced her two tablemates as Alya and Nino, before pulling a chair up and settling it down beside him. She grinned widely once more before turning to focus on the teacher, but Nathaniel found himself incapable of focusing on the lesson when a literal ray of sunshine was sitting right next to him. Right then and there, Nathaniel Kurtzberg decided that he was in love with this bright, enthusiastic, and friendly girl named Marinette and one day, he was determined he would marry her.  _

 

**Present Day**

Nathaniel came back to himself with a start, not having meant to slip into the memory. Unfortunately, even twenty years later his feelings for Marinette Dupain-Cheng hadn’t diminished in the slightest and he still held onto the hope of one day marrying the girl with the bright cerulean eyes and the ebony hair. Showered and dressed for a languid day at home, he reached for one of his many sketchbooks but stopped when his phone shattered the silence. For a moment, he considered ignoring the device in favor of drawing another page of the comic he was making in which he was a superhero called the Illustrator and she was, well… essentially she was the Lois Lane to his Superman. He smiled dopily at the thought but another ring from his phone and he reluctantly decided to answer the phone. It could be important, after all.

“Hello?” He greeted, eyes roving the pages as he flipped through the sketchbook.

“Nathaniel!” A frantic voice greeted in response. “Hey, I know you’re off today but is there any chance you could come in for a few hours? Lainey called out again and Melanie is sick. We could really use the help!”

He recognized the voice immediately as his manager’s voice. He liked Tina well enough. She was friendly, upbeat, and energetic. Often he found her presence a little overwhelming but having worked for her for the last few years, he found he had trouble saying no when she so obviously needed help. Sunday mornings could be quite hectic and he was fortunate enough to get most Sundays off. Besides, if he were lucky perhaps Marinette would come in. She tended to frequent the shop quite a bit and recently, she had started coming even more frequently. It wasn’t really close to her parents’ bakery and last he knew, she still lived with them so he was hoping that maybe he was the reason she had begun visiting more often.

“I’ll be there in half an hour,” he promised, before signing off and replacing the sketchbook. Nathaniel kept his jeans on but replaced his tee-shirt with a black one emblazoned with the cafe’s logo before leaving the apartment and making the short, five minute trek to the cafe. When he arrived at work, he could immediately see why he had been called in. The place was  _ packed _ . Most of the crowd were university students and businessmen heading to work or school or working on their computers around the cafe. Stepping behind the counter, he pulled on an apron and began rapidly fulfilling drink orders. He had probably been working for almost two hours when his coworker Dwayne nudged him sharply and nodded towards the line. The cafe was still busy but it had slowed down considerably and although the line was about ten deep, no one else was filing into the cafe which he took as a small blessing. 

He shot Dwayne a confused look as he looked at the line, then back at his coworker. The larger man sighed and gestured to a young woman near the middle of the line, and Nathaniel’s gaze immediately lit with recognition. His coworker winked and made a shooing motion to him, while the rest of their coworkers tittered in amusement. They had already guessed the nature of Nathaniel’s infatuation and were constantly trying to get him to converse with the pretty ravenette whenever she came in. To be fair, their pushing had allowed him to gain a bit more confidence in talking to her and last time he’d been at work, he had even managed to get her phone number out of her best friend, Alya Cesaire. He hadn’t actually called her yet but… he  _ had _ it, so that was a start, right? Abandoning his work while another Barista slid in to take over with a knowing smirk, Nathaniel approached the counter and called out a greeting.

“Marinette!” He winced as his overly enthusiastic greeting drew the eyes of several people, but grinned as those pretty bluebell eyes flicked his way. Marinette spoke quietly to her companion, a tall blonde man the redhead hadn’t noticed until now before she stepped out of line and joined him at the counter. She beamed warmly.

“Nathaniel, hi!” She greeted.

“Hey, how are you?” He asked, momentarily forgetting about her companion as he focused entirely on her. She shrugged.

“Just grabbing breakfast before I have to go pick the kids up,” she explained with an airy wave. The young man nodded in understanding.

“Are your parents watching them?”

“They’re watching Louis; Emma stayed with a friend last night.”

“Oh, nice. Did you enjoy a quiet night at home?” Nathaniel thought the question was innocent enough but a weird expression crossed her face and she turned away slightly before responding. Even to him, her words sounded a little too forced.

“Um… sort of. It was a long night but-” her eyes flickered back towards her companion briefly before returning to his turquoise ones, “-this morning more than made up for it.”

“Oh? It wouldn’t have anything to do with seeing your favorite barista, would it?” Nathaniel teased, leaning closer with a sly smile. He internally shouted in triumph when she giggled adorably at his flirtations. That had to be a good sign, right?

“Uh, sure Nath. We’ll go with that,” she chuckled, still shaking her head slightly. Nathaniel was about to respond when movement out of the corner of his eye caught his attention and he looked up, over the ravenette’s head. The tall blonde man she had been with earlier was approaching in long, loping strides and his green eyes were narrowed in anger. Nathaniel swallowed and took a step back as the man reached them, his arm sliding possessively around the woman’s waist. Marinette jumped at his sudden appearance, but she made no move to extract herself from his hold.

“Adrien? Wha- what happened to our place in line?” She asked with a small frown, leaning around him to glare at the line.

“I missed you,” he purred, nuzzling his face into her hair. Nathaniel’s mouth tightened and his eyes narrowed, waiting for the woman to push him away, but he did no such thing. In fact, she blushed almost as brightly as he did whenever he accidentally brushed his hand against hers.

“O-oh,” she squeaked, before seeming to remember he was there. She gestured weakly in his direction. “Adrien, this is Nathaniel Kurtzberg. We went to school together. Nathaniel, this is Adrien Agreste. We- we’re working on a project together,” she explained. Adrien smirked condescendingly at Nathaniel who openly glared right back at him.

“Oh so  _ you’re _ Nathaniel,” Adrien said, a smug look on his face.

“Yeah? What of it?” The redhead barked out, earning a surprised look from Marinette. He wasn’t usually a short-tempered person.

“Oh, I was just thinking that it’s kinda creepy, you know. Going through her best friend to get her phone number?” Adrien retorted, grinning when Nath’s face burst into flames.

“ADRIEN!” Marinette yelped, appalled. Even without her strangled shriek, the tension between the two men was more than enough to garner the attention of those around them. The other people in line were openly gawking, and the other baristas had ceased working in favor of watching the drama unfold.

“What? It’s true,” he pointed out sullenly.

“That was rude, Adrien. Not to mention your taking a private conversation completely out of context. Nathaniel is my friend,” she said firmly. 

“Yeah,  _ just _ your friend,” Adrien said petulantly, casting a smug look at the other man. Marinette opened her mouth to speak but Nathaniel cut in before he could.

“Oh? And what does that make  _ you _ ? She didn’t even call you a friend. She just said you  _ work _ together,” Nathaniel scoffed, earning a furious look from the blonde.

“NATHANIEL!” Marinette protested, looking between the two with annoyance on her pretty face. Both sets of eyes, one teal, and one peridot green, immediately shifted to her. For a moment at least. Then they moved back to glaring at each other.

“I can promise, she likes me a helluva lot more than she likes  _ you _ . She just doesn’t have a proper word to classify what we are yet. But at least  _ I _ haven’t been friend-zoned,” Adrien snarled, lips pulling back into a cruel grin.

“I’ve known Marinette a lot longer than you have! She isn’t so vain that she would fall for that empty-headed bleached-blonde model thing you’ve got going on, pretty boy!” Nath retorted, rolling his eyes.

“Hey! My hair is one hundred percent natural!” Adrien retorted. Beside him, he failed to notice that Marinette was rapidly turning as red as Nathaniel’s hair with a mixture of anger and mortification.

“Sure it is,” Nathaniel scoffed. Adrien opened his mouth to respond but yelped instead when Marinette suddenly reached up and grabbed his earlobe, yanking him down to her level with a surprising amount of strength.

“OKAY! Now that you guys have had your pissing contest if you’re quite  _ done _ treating me like a piece of meat, I actually have things to  _ do _ today,” she spat, glaring between the pair. Both men had the decency to look ashamed while everyone else pointedly turned away less the ravenette turn her wrath on them next.

“Ow, ow,  _ Princess that hurts _ ,” Adrien whined as she kept her hold on his ear. She sent him a withering glance and ignored his protests as she dragged him from the cafe and around the corner before releasing her hold on him. He rubbed his ear, giving her a sullen look as she stalked off. He followed her, taking note that she was walking down an alley that was in no way in the direction of her parents' bakery. “Um… Princess, where are you going?” He asked tentatively. She stopped and whirled suddenly, her face pinched in anger.

“What the  _ hell _ is wrong with you, Adrien!?” She snapped, planting her hands on her hips and unleashing the full force of her glare upon him. Adrien flinched and gave her his most sorrowful puppy dog eyes.

“Aw, Mari, don’t be mad. I couldn’t help it,” he whined, edging closer. She stepped back, her glare remaining intact.

“Nathaniel is my friend, Adrien. You can’t just go chasing my friends off because you’re a little jealous,” she growled.

“But Marinette he  _ likes _ you. Like…  _ likes _ likes you,” Adrien protested, pouting.

“And? I don’t like him back! And even if I did, why should that matter to you!? You’re  _ engaged _ to be  _ married _ !” She snapped, stepping forward and leveling a finger at his chest. “You, Adrien Agreste, have no claim on me! You have  _ no right _ to get into fights with guys just because they may or may not like me,” she snapped. Adrien was silent for a long moment, an unreadable expression on his face. For a moment, Marinette was afraid she had gone too far. She had been mad, sure, but maybe Adrien hadn’t quite deserved to be chastised that much. After all, Nathaniel had been just as much a part of the problem. But she had been so furious at him. At both of them. They had fought over her like she was a piece of meat, not a living being. She had been mortified, as all those people in there had watched the two men like it was a tennis match or something.

“What if I wanted one?” Adrien said suddenly, his voice deceptively soft in the shadowy alley. Marinette blinked, startled, and searched his gaze but she still couldn’t tell what he was thinking. His green eyes were carefully shuttered, hiding any and all emotion.

“Wh-what do you m-mean?” She stammered, suddenly feeling like a gazelle trapped in the gaze of a hungry lion. Adrien took a measured step forward and she immediately took a step back, countering his movement. His brows inched up before he took another, more deliberate, step in her direction.

“What-”  _ step _ “if-”  _ step _ “I-”  _ step _ “want”  _ step _ “a claim-” he smiled as her back bumped up against the wall and he caged her in, planting his arms on either side of her head as his eyes gleamed down at her.

“W-what a-about Chloe?” She forced herself to ask. His expression darkened, and for a moment he looked like he was fighting with himself.

“Chloe and I are engaged,” he stated.

“I know,” she stated, flatly, her gaze shifting away.

“I- I can’t just break things off with her. That might be how it works with most people, but I’m not most people,” he informed her truthfully.

“Okay…” she still wouldn’t meet his gaze and that frustrated him.

“There are people who are counting on me, Marinette. People I have an obligation to. Chloe, my father, the mayor… so many others expect me to marry her but-” He paused as her eyes flickered up to meet hers.

“But?” She asked breathlessly.

“But I also have an obligation to myself… and I would be remiss if I didn’t explore whatever… whatever  _ this _ is,” he lifted one hand from the wall to gesture between them before returning it to its former position. Marinette’s eyes widened and Adrien wanted to get lost in their cerulean depths.

“H-how do you plan on doing that?” She asked, her tongue darting out to wet her lips. Adrien followed the movement, mesmerized.

“I- I really want to kiss you right now,” Adrien admitted, leaning closer.

“O-oh?” Marinette squeaked in response.

“But I won’t if you say no,” he adds swiftly, his heart beating rapidly as his peridot gaze met her sapphire one. “Tell me no, and I’ll walk away.”

Marinette started at him, her lips parted slightly, but she didn’t say anything. She was caught between a sense of right and wrong and her own desires. She wanted to kiss him… but it wouldn’t be right. Adrien wasn’t hers to kiss, no matter how much she wanted him to be. She should turn around and walk out of the alley. She should pick up Emma and Louis and take them home and move on with her life. That’s what a smart, responsible person would do. But with Adrien’s lips hovering inches above hers, with his soft breath fanning her face, she found herself incapable of doing the smart or responsible thing.

“M-Marinette?” Adrien breathed, desperation edging his voice.

“I- I want you to kiss me,” she whispered. His eyes met hers, blown wide with shock before he grinned with wild delight and his mouth descended upon hers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I have a serious question for you guys. I meant to ask in the previous chapter but I forgot. Has anyone here read the Vampire Academy Series? Comment below if you have because I am hoping to make a Miraculous Ladybug/Vampire Academy crossover and would love input from someone who knows the books as intimately as I do (I've read each a dozen times or more)


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which I (the author) have only been kissed by one guy before and there was really nothing special about it so don't mind my awkward and lackluster kissing descriptions because I am a total Virgin in more ways than one, guys...
> 
> Also in which angst happens because I apparently can't just settle for fluff. I'm sorry I know I promised fluff wagon but... meh. This was more fun to write and I do love torturing you guys... I'm not ashamed to admit it #SorryNotSorry
> 
> Also, I know I said Adrien's mother was Linette in the previous chapter but, but, BUT we finally have an actual name for her! Emilie Agreste. And how perfectly amazing is it that Emma's full name is Emilia??? Like, that was totally chance. I had NOOOO idea what his mom's name was but they are so similar it's uncanny.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, beloved readers!!! Did you miss me??? First off, I would like to say how sorry I am that this chapter is so bloody late. My muse has been really low for the story, plus I have a lot of crap going on in my life that prevented me from actually buckling down and writing this chapter. 
> 
> I would like to thank Lil_Fangirl27 for your continued support. You are my biggest supporter and the greatest source of muse a girl could have! I doubt this story would come half as far as it had without you there to spitball ideas off of whenever I'm stuck. Love you always, bae! And try not to kill me when you read this...
> 
> I would also like to give a shout out to my mother who will eventually read the story when she gets around to it. She's the one that actually helped me expand on the original idea I had for the reveal and make it ten times better. So stay tuned for THAT in the next few chapters. I swear guys, we are so close I can taste it. I'm not just teasing you. The reveal actually will arrive in the next chapter or two.
> 
> Finally, I want to thank you all for being so patient with me. I honestly couldn't ask for better readers. You guys are always so considerate of the fact that I am human and have real-life problems. Your continued praise is honestly the highlight of my day/night whenever I post a new chapter. You guys are what makes this story possible. Without you, I wouldn't have written nearly as much as I have.
> 
> So big shout out to you and I hope you guys enjoy this chapter ;)

Marinette watched as Adrien inched closer, his mouth hovering over hers. The desire to feel his mouth on hers, his hands on her body, was nearly overwhelming. She wanted this; wanted _him_ . And yet… and yet she knew this was wrong. She cared about Adrien, and she knew he cared for her. Still, his words bounced about in her head and they hurt. A lot. Adrien Agreste had no plans of breaking up with Chloe Bourgeois. Marinette knew she had no right to make him break up with her, either. Adrien wasn’t hers. He had never been, to begin with. This was wrong. No matter how right it felt, it was _wrong_. That being said, she didn’t have the strength or the willpower to turn away now. Just this once, she wanted to be the irresponsible one. He inched closer, invading her space and pressing against her. For a moment, their foreheads touched as their lips hovered, a sliver of air between them.

Marinette Dupain-Cheng had always prided herself on being a practical person. She wasn’t the type of woman who sought her fairytale ending. She didn’t buy into silly romance novels. You know the ones? Where fireworks and sparks happened whenever the two protagonists finally came to their senses, stopped denying their feelings, and kissed for the first time? This wasn’t a Fairytale; it wasn’t a Nora Roberts romance novel, and there were certainly no fireworks. That being said, she would be lying if she said her knees didn’t go weak the second Adrien’s lips touched hers. His hands cupped her face, thumbs tracing softly along the curve of her cheeks as his mouth brushed gently against hers. She sighed softly, rocking towards him as his lips pressed more firmly into hers, molding together like pieces of a puzzle. Warmth curled in the pit of her stomach and spread outward as his lips moved expertly over hers, causing her heart to stutter erratically.

The kiss was slow and gentle; unhurried. It was sweet, enticing. The type of kiss that left you wanting for more. When they parted, their breathing ever-so-slightly labored, bluebell eyes clashing with emerald green, Marinette definitely wanted for more. When Adrien lowered his mouth once again, there was no hesitance in her response. Her chin came up at the slightest of urging, meeting him halfway until their lips met once more in a slow, sensual dance of exploration. And when the tip of Adrien’s tongue brushed against the seam of her lips, a silent inquiry, there was no hesitance in her answer.

Adrien groaned softly, the sound sending a thrill down Marinette’s spine as their tongues tangled together, the kiss shifting from languid exploration to tempered heat. When kissing was no longer enough, Adrien’s hands moved from her face, inched down her neck and along her shoulders. His touch was as light and gentle as his first kiss; barely there but utterly enticing. His path continued down her arms to her hands, fingers lacing briefly with a gentle squeeze before moving to her waist. The weight of his hold, though light, sent a bolt of desire through the ravenette and she involuntarily rocked closer to him. Marinette, in turn, slid her hands slowly up his chest and around his neck, fingers toying with the silky hair at the nape of his neck as the kiss deepened.

All too soon, they broke apart. Through some unspoken agreement, they stepped apart, refusing to meet each other’s eyes for several long moments. There would be no third kiss. As much as they both wanted it, they both seemed to realize they were toeing some unspoken boundary and going any further could spell disaster. After several long moments, Marinette broke the heavy silence.

“We should, uh…” She jerked her thumb awkwardly towards the entrance of the alley.

“R-Right… yeah, we should… um… we should head out,” Adrien agreed rapidly, studying a piece of lint on the toe of one of his shoes like it was the most fascinating thing in the world. Another beat of silence followed before Marinette chanced a glance upwards. Apparently, Adrien had the same idea because their eyes connected simultaneously as identical blushes burned across their cheeks. Feeling very much like awkward teenagers, the pair immediately disconnected their gazes.

“I- uh… I need to go get Louis and Emma,” Marinette said, shifting awkwardly.

“Oh, right. I’ll walk you to the bakery; I kind of promised your dad I would anyway so… after you?” He offered, gesturing for her to take the lead. The ravenette hesitated briefly but, seeing no way to politely excuse herself, she found herself agreeing.

“Okay. Alright, um… let’s get going then,” she said, turning abruptly to exit the alley. The walk to the bakery was uncomfortably, awkwardly silent. Neither Marinette nor Adrien wanted to be the one to break the silence that had descended upon them and so they chose instead to simply not say anything. Mercifully, the walk wasn’t too terribly long and before they knew it, they were stopped outside the bakery and Marinette was fumbling with a ring of keys, searching for the correct one to open the bakery doors. Eventually, she found the correct key and inserted it into the lock.

Because it was Sunday, the Bakery was closed for the day. When they stepped inside, the shop was lit only by the sunlight streaming through the plate glass windows that dominated the storefront. Marinette relocked the door behind them, but she didn’t immediately head for the stairwell near the front counter. Adrien glanced at her, curious at her hesitance, but wisely chose to wait for her to speak. It took several moments, and several attempts, before the young woman was able to say what was on her mind.

“Adrien… that- that can’t happen again,” she said quietly, a note of nervousness in her voice. Beside her, the man sighed.

“I know,” he agreed. “It’s not fair to Chloe… or to you.”

“I- I think we should spend some time apart. I can keep working on designs for the project from my end… and I can email you whatever drafts I come up with but… but I don’t think we should see each other for a few weeks, at least.” She admitted, dropping her bluebell gaze to the floor. A long moment of silence passed before the blonde spoke.

“If that’s what you think is best, Mari,” he said softly. Marinette glanced up, meeting his gaze, but his expression was unreadable.

“I think… I think it’s definitely the best course of action for now. We can’t continue whatever… whatever _this_ is-” she gestured weakly between them before dropping her hand listlessly to her side “-unless you and Chloe are no longer together. I… I had a lapse in judgment. It was wrong. But I won’t be your um… your uh… your _mistress_ … or whatever they call it these days,” Marinette said, her voice soft but firm.

“I understand and… I wouldn’t ask you to be, Marinette. I- I wish we could have-”

“I think it would be best if you left, Adrien. _Without_ finishing that sentence,” Marinette said, refusing to meet his gaze as she spoke. Adrien sighed, but deep down he knew she was right. He was being unfair right now. So, he left. He didn’t look back; didn’t say another word. The bell jingled quietly as he stepped back into the deceptive warmth of the mid-morning sun and headed for him. Marinette relocked the door behind him before leaning back against the cool glass and sliding slowly down until she was sitting on the cold tile floor. It was in that position that Sabine Cheng found her daughter a few minutes later, tears streaming down her too pale face as silent sobs wracked her body.

Without a word, the older woman crossed the room and crouched before her daughter, pulling her into a strong embrace. For the first time in years, Marinette buried her face in her mother’s shoulder and cried. She cried for Adrien, she cried for their children, and she cried for what could have been. Most of all, she cried for herself and the endless possibilities she had brushed aside six years ago… when she had chosen to sneak out of that hotel room.

  


The rest of Sunday passed relatively quietly. After Marinette’s sobs had quieted and her tears had dried, Sabine had coaxed her up to the apartment with promises of hot tea and a home cooked breakfast. She didn’t once ask why her daughter had been crying in the darkened bakery… but she instinctively knew a man was involved. Call it mother’s intuition. After Sabine made breakfast and the family had eaten, Tom Dupain carted Louis out of the house to pick up Emma from her friend’s house. He, too, seemed to understand that his daughter had had a rough night. Knowing their daughter as well as they did, neither one bothered asking what had happened. They knew that if Marinette wanted to talk about it, she would, and they respected her enough not to press for information until it was volunteered.

It was well into the evening, the moon hanging high in the sky before Marinette left her parents house. Remembering the last time she had gone walking around at night, she opted to call a cab, waiting in the sanctity of the Dupain-Cheng bakery until the car was at the curb. Maneuvering two sleeping five-year-olds, two overnight bags, and her purse out of a cab and through her building was difficult… but she eventually managed to get the twins into their respective beds before she allowed herself to collapse on the couch, exhausted. At some point, she got up and fetched a glass of wine, flipping listlessly through movie channels until she landed on a showing of _The Notebook_ which had barely begun.  Of course, watching the epic love story between Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams when you were essentially suffering a broken heart wasn’t the best coping mechanism in the world, so she ended up switching to the News about halfway through the movie. Eventually, Marinette fell into a fitful, barely there sleep, television remote dangling loosely from her fingertips.

Monday morning dawned much earlier than she anticipated. Marinette awoke, quite suddenly, jolting upwards on the couch with a gasp. Heart pounding in her chest, she took a moment to get her bearings straight. Around her, the apartment was dark save for the unnatural glow of the television, which she had failed to turn off before falling asleep.  The low murmur of the news was the only sound to break the silence and with a groan, she heaved herself from the couch and picked up her wine glass. On silent feet, she padded into the kitchen, squinting against the harsh glare when she flicked on the overhead light. The young woman took a brief moment to wash her wine glass before setting it on the rack to dry and turning the light back off. On her way through the living room, she turned off the tv and returned the remote to its place on the coffee table before trudging down the hall towards her bedroom.

As she passed the twin’s room, she paused. The door was slightly ajar, just as she had left it, and the barest glimmer of their nightlight shone through the crack in the door. The room itself was silent, nothing out of the ordinary, but Marinette found herself pushing silently through the door nonetheless. Stepping carefully to avoid the minefield of toys that littered the ground, the young mother made her way to the bunk beds that housed the twins. On the top bunk, Emma Dupain-Cheng was sprawled haphazardly across her bed, nightshirt riding up over her belly button and blanket dangling over the edge of the bed, barely covering even one of Emma’s legs. Smiling fondly, Marinette carefully straightened her daughter’s limbs, tugged her shirt back into place, and pulled the blanket back over the child. She used the first two rungs of the ladder to elevate her height just enough to press a chaste kiss to the child’s forehead before dropping silently back to the ground.

With Emma situated, Marinette crouched beside the lower bunk. Unlike his sister, Louis was curled into a tight ball, his blanket wrapped tightly around his thin frame. In the dim lighting, Marinette didn’t notice the sweat dampening his brow until she touched her lips gently to his forehead. Startled, she gently brushed the back of her hand against his forehead and noted with some concern that he was a bit warmer than he should have been. Chalking it up to the unnatural heat she kept the apartment in, she carefully tugged his blanket off and pulled his over sheet over him instead before moving to turn the heater off. Satisfied, Marinette cast one last, brief look towards the bunk beds before stepping out of the room and heading for her own. With a sigh of relief, Marinette shucked her clothes and crawled beneath her own blankets, this time falling into a much deeper sleep than she had before.

When Marinette awoke later that Monday morning, it was to the sound of her alarm splitting the apartment’s silence. She groaned, slapping blindly around the bedside table until she managed to slap the _‘snooze’_ button. She sighed, on the verge of sinking back into sleep when the door burst open and Emma flew into the room and launched herself unceremoniously onto the bed. The mattress bounced wildly with the impact and Marinette silently groaned in protest.

“Morning, Mama!” Emma squealed excitedly, practically wiggling like a puppy.

“Morning, baby. Where’s Louie?” She replied, lifting one hand to stifle a yawn as she eyed her daughter.

“Still in bed. I _tried_ to wake him up but he told me to go away,” Emma said, pouting slightly before the look dissolved into another easy grin. “I’m hungry, _maman_. Can you make pancakes for breakfast?”

Marinette glanced towards the half-open door, concern filling her vision, before turning a gentle smile on her daughter. “Sure, Emma. Why don’t you go take a shower and get ready for school? I’ll make breakfast after I check on Louie,” she promised, shifting into a sitting position. Emma nodded, bouncing off the bed as if it were a launch pad and bounding out of the room as quickly as she had come. The young woman watched her disappear affectionately before swinging her legs out of bed and rising. She stretched, arching her back luxuriously before heading to the bathroom to relieve herself and pull on a robe before she headed to the twin’s bedroom. As she headed down the hall, the shower turned on in the spare bathroom and not for the first time, Marinette appreciated her children’s willingness to cooperate most of the time. Pausing at the bedroom door, she knocked lightly before poking her head inside.

“Louie, baby, it’s time to get up,” Marinette said softly. When no response came, Marinette pushed the door open and stepped inside. The room was lighter than it had been last night, given the sunlight streaming through the blinds, but in the far corner of the room, the bunk beds were still swathed in shadows. She could barely make out the lump of her son’s prone form beneath the blankets on his bed. Careful not to step on a lego or something equally as painful, she picked her way across the room and crouched down beside the bottom bunk.

“Louie, sweetie, it’s time to wake up,” she murmured, lifting a hand to gently shake the blanketed form. A low groan of protest rose from the form as it curled into an even tighter ball. Chuckling, Marinette tugged the blankets until a mop of blonde hair followed by her son’s face was revealed. Louis opened one blue eye to glare half-heartedly at his mother before tugging the blankets back up over his head.

“Louis, you have school today. I need you to be a good boy and get up, please,” Marinette said gently, tugging the blanket back down. It was immediately pulled back up again.

“I don’t want to go,” the muffled reply came.

“I know, sweetie, but you’ve already missed so much school. I need you to be my big boy and get ready, now,” the young mother coaxed.

“No.”

“Louis,” Marinette’s voice hardened slightly, broaching no argument, and with an overdramatic sigh, the child kicked the blankets away with a scowl.

“ _Maman_ ,” he tried, a plaintive note in his voice.

“Don’t _‘Maman’_ me, Louis Adrien Dupain-Cheng. I expect you showered, dressed, and in the living room in thirty minutes,” she said firmly. The child opened his mouth but paused when she gave him a warning look. “No buts. You already missed most of last week. Unless you’re dying, I don’t want to hear it,” she said firmly.

For a long moment, two pairs of near identical bluebell eyes locked and held until finally, the little boy dropped his gaze and mumbled his agreement, shoulders sagging in defeat. Smiling fondly, Marinette reached out and ruffled his hair affectionately before rising and leaving the room. Returning to her room, Marinette threw on a pair of sweatpants and tee-shirt, before heading for the kitchen to begin making pancakes. Emma was the first to emerge, dressed in a sparkly silver top and jeans, with Louis trailing half-heartedly behind her in a blue tee-shirt and black jeans. It was odd, really. Louis never wanted to go to school, that much was true, but he was rarely this dejected about it. Most mornings, he was a lot more bubbly until they were actually within sight of the school. Watching him across the breakfast table ten minutes later, it dawned on her that her son didn’t look quite right. His skin was rather pale, and there were unusually heavy bags beneath his eyes.

“Louis, are you feeling okay?” She asked, worry tinging her tone. The child didn’t look up, shoulders lifting in a tiny shrug before drooping once more.

“Just tired, Mama,” he said, poking at his chocolate chip pancakes.

“Aren’t you going to eat?” She prompted. “They’re your favorite.”

“I’m not very hungry,” he mumbled.

Rising, Marinette rounded the table and pressed the back of her hand against Louis’ forehead. He felt slightly warmer than usual, but she wouldn’t go so far as to say he felt feverish. Brushing his hair back, she placed a light kiss on his forehead. “You’ll tell me if anything changes, Louie? If you feel sick, you’ll tell me or your teacher right away?”

Louis nodded slowly, not looking up from where he was stabbing listlessly at his pancakes. Marinette’s concern skyrocketed, but she carefully tamped it down. She knew, better than most, that she had a bad habit of jumping to conclusions and fearing the worst. It was a habit she was struggling to break. So she said nothing more on the subject, and when the time came she walked the twins to school and tried not to fret or worry too much when Louis didn’t make a fuss like he usually did when they reached the school.

  


Tuesday and Wednesday were much the same as Monday. In the mornings, it was a struggle to wake Louis up. He would whine and protest and plead until Marinette ordered him up and out of bed. When he finally relented, he would silently take a shower and get dressed, stare listlessly at the television until breakfast was ready, and sit down to eat. Or… pretend to eat. It didn’t take long for Marinette to notice that Louis wasn’t eating the way he normally ate. He would take a few bites, push the food around his plate to make it appear emptier than it actually was, and then dump it at the earliest convenience. When prompted to eat more, he would claim fullness and, if that didn’t work, would reluctantly shovel in a few more mouthfuls

By the time Sunday rolled around once more, Marinette was more than a little concerned but still, she didn’t take him to the doctor. She justified this by convincing herself that perhaps Louis was just having some sort of growth pains. The fever hadn’t worsened, he wasn’t acting physically ill, so surely nothing was wrong… right? Besides, Louis only seemed lethargic in the mornings. By the time he returned home from school, he was back to his usual bubbly, energetic self.  He still had little to no appetite around dinner time, but Louis insisted he ate the extra large lunch she had begun packing for him, so she didn’t question it. Another week passed with little change and in a way, it became their new routine. Marinette was so focused on Louis, she had no time to worry about her personal problems with Adrien. They hadn’t seen each other since he had left the bakery, and their only correspondence were emails pertaining to the project. In a way, it was a relief. Adrien was a complication she didn’t need at the moment, especially in light of her son’s odd behavior.

By the end of the second week, Marinette’s fears and worries were almost completely put behind her. An annual checkup at the doctor revealed nothing out of the norm, and Louis was beginning to seem more like his usual self. It was halfway through the third week that his fever spiked suddenly and abruptly. It was the middle of the night when Marinette was awoken by her son’s voice crying out for her. Marinette wasn’t certain she had ever moved quite as quickly as she had at that moment. One second she was laying half asleep in bed, the next she was wide awake and out the door. Bursting through the twin’s door, she found Emma leaning worriedly over the edge of her bed, watching as Louis squirmed and whimpered uncomfortably in his bed.

Marinette crossed the length of the room in three strides and crouched beside the bed, worry clear in her eyes. She could feel the heat radiating from his skin long before she actually touched him. Sweat coated the child’s body, plastering his clothes and hair to his damp skin. When she had touched him, his eyes had opened but they were glazed over and unfocused. She hadn’t wasted a second, shouting for Emma to put her shoes on while she rushed to call a cab. Within twenty minutes, they were at the hospital, Marinette clinging to her daughter while the nurses rushed Louis away on a gurney.

A nightmarish twenty-four hours later, Marinette found herself back home with both children. The doctors had assured her it was just a case of the flu and had sent her home with a round of antibiotics. The young mother had been skeptical, but she had more or less accepted their answer and returned home. With his sudden bout of sickness, Louis finally got his wish and was permitted to stay home for the rest of the week. He returned to school the following Monday, but by Thursday, he was back in the hospital with another high fever. Again, the doctors tried to claim it was the Flu. This time, Marinette wasn’t quite so willing to accept that answer but the doctor was adamant and once again, she was sent home with a round of antibiotics.

At the beginning of the fifth week, Marinette took Louis to a different hospital. There was a nagging feeling at the back of her brain that insisted this wasn’t just the flu, and if their normal Pediatrician wouldn’t help them, she was determined to find someone who would. The new doctor was more than happy to do a full physical on the child, as well as take some blood samples. The twins birthday, October 6th, came and went but it was a bittersweet occasion. With Louis so sick, the Dupain-Cheng family didn’t really feel like celebrating. Even Emma seemed to have little to no desire to touch her portion of the gifts and eventually, Marinette found herself shoving them into the depths of a closet, unable to take the constant reminder that her son was ill.

Over the next few weeks, Adrien attempted on several occasions to contact Marinette. From skimming his emails, she knew either Alya or Nino had told him that Louis was sick but she couldn’t bring herself to answer any of them. She didn’t have the energy to focus on anything other than Louis. Two weeks after the twins’ birthday, Marinette finally received a call from the doctor. He wanted to bring Louis in for one final test. When Marinette asked what he thought was wrong, he simply responded that he wanted to be sure before he said anything. She was too tired at that point to argue, and so on October 22nd, Marinette and Louis returned to the hospital for a bone marrow biopsy.

Deep down, Marinette knew her son was gravely ill. Just as she had known even in the beginning, that whatever was wrong with him, it most certainly went beyond the Flu. Despite all that, she dared to hope. Desperately, she hoped and prayed. As the days slipped by, as she waited for the biopsy results to come back, she spent many sleepless nights laying in bed silently begging God to spare her son. To make this whole nightmare go away. To have her son return to the sweet, sensitive little boy she knew and loved. Not this ghost of a child, locked in a world of fear, pain, and uncertainty, that had replaced him. However, for all her hopes, for all her desperate prayers, eventually the Witching Hour fell upon them and, on October 31st, Marinette Dupain-Cheng found herself back in the waiting room, waiting to be called back to the Doctor’s office.

Weirdly enough, she almost felt like she was back in school again. Like she had been sent to Mr. Damocles office and was waiting outside to be called in. Back then, for all her petty worries, deep down she had known that the Principal would make a show of chastising her, even though they both knew that whatever reason she was there was undoubtedly Chloe Bourgeois’ fault. He would pretend to give her a slap on the wrist punishment, she would pretend to be properly cowled, and they would go about their business. Chloe and her father would be satisfied, Marinette and Alya would giggle at the ridiculousness of it all, but it was a system that had worked throughout her school years. And at the end of the day, no matter how many times she sat outside that office, she knew that in the end, everything would be alright. Despite the recurring anxiety that came from the principle of being sent to the Principal’s office, she had known what to expect.

Now, she had no clue what to expect. She didn’t know what was wrong with her son… only that there _was_ something wrong with him. And not knowing? Well, it scared the ever-living shit out of her. She was scared. She was scared to go into that office, she was scared to learn what was wrong with her son, she was scared of finding out it was something irreversible, incurable and most of all… she was scared of losing that microscopic sliver of hope that she had clung to throughout the past two and a half months.

“Miss Dupain-Cheng? Doctor Pierce will see you now.”

The Nurse’s voice cut through Marinette’s musing, jarring her from her thoughts and drawing her gaze to where the woman stood near an open door, scanning the waiting room expectantly. Marinette took a shuddering breath and rose, heart rate spiking as she crossed the crowded room to join the nurse. For the first time in weeks, she felt utterly alone. Her mother and father had both offered to join her, but she had declined. She needed them to watch Emma and Louis. Alya and Nino had also offered, but Marinette had assured them she would be fine. At the end of the day, this was something she needed to do alone.

As Marinette followed the nurse down a winding corridor, their footsteps seemed to echo and bounce off the walls. It was eerie, how empty and silent the hospital seemed once you moved away from the main visitor's area. Eventually, they came to a door emblazoned with a plaque that read: **Doctor Anthony Pierce, DMD**

The young woman knocked lightly on the door, twisting the handle when a voice called out, granting her entry into the room. Although she had been in the office several times before, the familiarity of her surroundings did nothing to quell her nerves as she closed the door behind her and moved to join the doctor at his desk. He rose automatically, extending a hand to shake hers before gesturing her to one of the chairs sitting at his desk. She perched on the end of one chair, back ramrod straight as she blinked solemnly at the man before her.

“You said you had my son’s results in?” She asked nervously, fingers twisting together anxiously as she stared at the man across from her. Dr. Pierce scratched lightly, perhaps a bit uncomfortably, at his balding head and adjusted his glasses before giving a nearly imperceptible nod. The fact that he wasn’t smiling, wasn't immediately putting her greatest fears at ease, had her literally and figuratively at the edge of her seat.

“Miss Dupain-Cheng-” He began, but she was quick to cut him off. At this point, she was well accustomed to the evasive tactics doctors used when they didn’t want to just come out and break the news to patients and their families. She had been dealing with this shit for over two months and she was getting pretty sick and tired of it.

“With all due respect, Dr. Pierce, I would appreciate it if you cut the crap and tell me what the _hell_ is wrong with my son,” she snapped impatiently. Dr. Pierce arched a brow, before giving an understanding nod and flipping open the file before him.

“Right then. I’m assuming you have no interest in me sugar coating it?” He asked, arching a brow.

“That’s correct,” Marinette retorted impatiently. With a nod, he flipped the file around and slid it across the desk.

“Miss Dupain-Cheng I’m afraid your son has been diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia,” Dr. Pierce said. Across from him, the young woman visibly swallowed before steeling herself and lifting her gaze.

“Is it curable?” She asked flatly. The Doctor hesitated, but after a brief moment gave a slow shake of his head.

“Unfortunately, there is currently no cure. It is treatable, of course. And treatment can make it easier for your son, as well as provide the possibility for him to enter into an indefinite remission. However,” Dr. Pierce arched a brow as she opened her mouth to speak, and she immediately closed it and gestured for him to go on. “However, in order to treat it, your son requires bone marrow transplants and unfortunately, we have already determined from previous tests that you, Mr. and Mrs. Lahiffe, and your parents, are _not_ a match,” he said firmly. Across from him, Marinette physically deflated.

“What is the likelihood of finding a positive donor before the disease progresses any further?” She asked quietly.

“Slim to none, I’m afraid. Finding someone outside of the family with correct HLA markers will be difficult,” the man said with a sigh. A moment of silence filled the room until he began to shuffle through another folder. Marinette watched him dully, barely noting him satisfied murmur as he produced a document from the file. “Now, the father of the child? He has not yet been tested… it is always a possibility that he could be a match,” he murmured, lifting a questioning gaze towards the woman across from him. Marinette stiffened.

“I- I don’t know if that is a possibility,” she hedged. Dr. Pierce set the file down and arched a questioning brow.

“Do you not know where he is?”

“It’s not that-”

“Is there a restraining order or some other legal document preventing him from coming into contact with your son?”

“Well, no but-”

“Miss Dupain-Cheng, if I can be frank… this is your son’s life on the line, here. I can’t help you if you don’t make a conscious effort to help yourself.”

Marinette sighed, nodding slowly. “Y-you’re right. Are you free tomorrow, by chance?”

“I am sure I can pencil you in. Just give me… a… second…” He mumbled, pulling his calendar up on the computer screen. “How does three o’ clock sound?”

Marinette swallowed hard before giving an almost imperceptible nod. “Three sounds great,” she whispered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next two weeks I will try to be pretty active as I'm leaving town on vacation on Sunday for 9 days of fun in the sun (I live in Washington; our weather is hella bipolar and I'm tired of getting rain, sun, and hail all in one week. Like wtf Washington) so I will try to update a few times in that time and then when I return... I would say I'll probably get a response up once a month at least but it all depends on my muse.


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which more Angst happens... and Adrien grows a TINY bit of a backbone

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Angst is REAL guys lol. No, but really this chapter was surprisingly easy to write once I started and I am really proud of it.

Adrien’s gaze was unwavering as he moved in closer, green eyes scanning carefully for even the slightest hint of regret. Undeniably, he wanted the woman before him. From the moment he had met Marinette Dupain-Cheng- _no_ , the moment he had _seen_ Marinette Dupain-Cheng-he had been drawn to her. There was something about her that called to him, and it wasn’t just her physical appearance. There was no doubt she was beautiful; it was what had originally caught his attention all those years ago in the bar. It was her mannerisms that held his interest now, however. Her sudden smiles, full of warmth and joy; the little furrow she got between her brows when she was overthinking something; the way she stuck her tongue out when she was concentrating on her work. All the little quirks that made her,  _her_ had slowly led them to this moment.

If she turned away now, he would let her. Adrien Agreste was fully aware at this point that he was the worst kind of person. He was a selfish bastard; taking and giving nothing in return. He couldn’t offer her the world; couldn’t offer her long-term promises. He could only offer this one moment, this brief interlude, and he was well aware it was far less than she deserved. From the moment he was born, Adrien’s life had been carefully mapped out and for the last twenty-eight years, he had done what he was told to do. He had done what was expected of him and not once did it even cross his mind to protest, to stand up for himself. His childish desperation to please his emotionally unavailable father had defined and shaped who he was as a person and he was wholly ashamed of that fact. Even more, he was ashamed of the fact that he had no plans on changing anything in the near future. He was too afraid of disappointing the people who depended on him. So, as selfish as it was, just this once he wanted to take something for himself. He closed his eyes as his forehead pressed against hers, lips hovering a breaths width away.

Eventually, the need to kiss her proved too great and Adrien closed the distance between their lips. The first touch was soft as a feather. It was carefully controlled; a way to test the waters and give her every opportunity to change her mind and pull away. His hands moved of their own accord from the wall on either side of her head to cup her face, thumbs tracing gently across her cheekbones, silently trying to convey how much he treasured her. A soft sigh escaped her, and when she rocked forward pressing her body to his, he took that as his encouragement to deepen the kiss. Adrien was carefully unhurried as his lips pressed more firmly for hers. He knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that he wouldn’t get another chance like this and he wanted to savor it; savor _her._

They parted briefly, breathing slightly labored from lack of air, as his emerald eyes met her bluebell ones. They stayed there for a brief moment, suspended in time before Adrien slowly lowered his mouth back to hers. There was no hesitance in their kiss this time. Although it remained slow and unhurried, it lacked the nervous edge the previous kiss had held. Marinette’s chin came up with only the slightest encouragement, meeting him halfway as their lips continued to move and dance against each other. Encouraged by her eagerness and feeling slightly bold, Adrien parted his lips, the tip of his tongue tracing lightly along the seam of her lips in a silent question.

Adrien couldn’t stop the involuntary groan that escaped him at the first brush of his tongue against hers. Idly, he noted she tasted sweet. Like strawberries and vanilla. Somehow, it fit her personality perfectly. As the kiss deepened, a restlessness settled in the pit of his stomach and the desire to touch her became nearly overwhelming. Adrien knew better than to test his luck, and besides, he wasn’t the type of guy to touch a girl inappropriately without her explicit consent. So when his hands slid down her neck and along her shoulders, he was careful to keep well within the bounds of what might be deemed appropriate. His hands trailed down her arms, his touch as light as that first kiss had been, fingers brushing lightly against her wrists before lacing their fingers in a brief squeeze. Eventually, he settled a light hold on her waist, pulling her a step closer when she posed no resistance.

Marinette, in turn, allowed her hands to trail up his chest and around his neck, fingers toying and tugging lightly at the soft golden strands at the nape of his neck. It was all he could do not to groan again as they continued to kiss, tongues locked in a battle for dominance. All too soon, they broke apart and Adrien took an unconscious step back as he struggled to catch his breath. Before him, Marinette looked thoroughly kissed. Her lips were slightly swollen, shiny and darker in color than they had been before. A soft flush danced across her soft cheekbones, highlighting the light dusting of freckles that stood out against her normally pale skin. Her eyes were wide and bright against the dark fringe of lashes that surrounded them, looking slightly dazed and unfocused in the wake of their kiss. At that moment, she looked more beautiful than ever and it took every ounce of willpower in him not to return to kissing her senseless. For a long moment, neither of them spoke and the silence hung heavily in the stagnant air of the alleyway. Eventually, after their breathing had slowed and their heartbeats had returned to a sedate place, Marinette broke the silence.

“We should, uh…” She began, trailing off awkwardly and jerking a thumb towards the entrance of the alley by way of explanation.

“R-Right… yeah, we should… um… we should head out,” he found himself agreeing quickly, dropping his gaze to study a small piece of fluff that marred the otherwise shiny leather of his dress shoes. Another beat of silence passed before Adrien dared to inch his gaze back towards her, only to have his Veridian gaze collide with her cerulean one. Feeling incredibly awkward and out of place, he immediately dropped his gaze once more.

“I- uh… I need to go get Louis and Emma,” Marinette said, breaking the silence once more as she shifted across from him.

“Oh, right. I’ll walk you to the bakery; I kind of promised your dad I would anyway so… after you?” He stepped back, gesturing grandly for her to take the lead. There was a brief moment of hesitation before she nodded in agreement.

“Okay. Alright, um… let’s get going then,” she mumbled, turning abruptly and scurrying past him towards the entrance of the alley. With his longer stride, Adrien caught up easily despite her brief head start and fell into step beside her as they headed towards the Dupain-Cheng Bakery. The walk over was a short one, but the silence that surrounded the pair was downright _oppressive._ In truth, it very much reminded Adrien of his childhood and that didn’t sit well with him. Growing up without his mother after she disappeared when he was eleven, the halls of the Agreste Mansion had always felt oppressively silent. The staff was trained to move quietly and discreetly through the manor, rarely seen or heard until they were needed and even then they worked quickly, quietly, and efficiently before disappearing as swiftly as they had come. It was always struck him as a bit creepy, the way they could seemingly appear out of nowhere that way. Now, Adrien wished desperately for the courage he had lacked as a child to break the silence. Several times, he opened and closed his mouth, brow knitting in frustration, but by the time they reached the bakery he had yet to actually garner the nerve to say anything.

Marinette fumbled briefly with the keys, nearly dropping them before finally finding the correct one and inserting it into the lock. She made no protest as he followed her into the silent and darkened bakery and as she turned to lock the doors behind him, he took a brief moment to study his surroundings. When the bakery was open, it was a bright and airy space. The large front windows that dominated the front of the shop and the open floorplan ensured that. He had stopped into the bakery several times before, and each time the owners, who he now realized were Marinette’s parents, had always been friendly and upbeat people. Their welcoming persona bled into the atmosphere and even closed, darkened, and vacant save for it’s two new occupants, he couldn’t help but note that the bakery still held a warmer atmosphere than the mansion he called home.

Adrien glanced at Marinette, expecting her to lead him to the second level to fetch her son. Although their silence was painful, he wasn’t opposed to walking her to pick up Emma and then ensuring her safe passage home if she would let him. Marinette made no move towards the stairs, however, instead seeming to fight internally with herself, her mouth opening and closing several times before she finally found the courage to speak what was on her mind.

“Adrien… that- that can’t happen again,” she began, a note of nervousness in her voice. Adrien sighed, his heart sinking, but deep down he knew she was right.

“I know,” he murmured in defeat. “It’s not fair to Chloe… or to you.” Immediately after the words were out of his mouth, he winced and wished he could take them back. Wished he could have put her before Chloe in that sentence. He didn’t want Marinette to think of herself as a second choice. In truth, if he _had_ a choice, it would be Marinette hands down. Chloe wasn’t a choice… or at least not _his_ choice. Unfortunately, he couldn’t turn back time and Chloe’s name seemed to hang in the air between them until Marinette found her voice once more.

“I- I think we should spend some time apart. I can keep working on designs for the project from my end… and I can email you whatever drafts I come up with but… but I don’t think we should see each other for a few weeks, at least.” Her gaze dropped, fingers fiddling nervously together as she spoke. Even now, she seemed hesitant at saying anything that might hurt him and not for the first time, he marveled at her general sense of selflessness. A moment of silence passed, and Adrien took that time to carefully school his expression before she looked up. He didn’t want her to see how much her words felt like daggers through his heart. She would undoubtedly blame herself and he couldn’t live with himself if that were the case.

“If that’s what you think is best, Mari,” he finally said, breaking yet another silence.

“I think… I think it’s definitely the best course of action for now. We can’t continue whatever… whatever _this_ is-” here, she paused to gesture weakly between them with one hand before continuing on “-unless you and Chloe are no longer together. I… I had a lapse in judgment. It was wrong. But I won’t be your um… your uh… your _mistress_ … or whatever they call it these days.” Although soft, there was a note of finality in Marinette’s voice and although it hurt, he had to admire her sense of self-worth.

“I understand and… I wouldn’t ask you to be, Marinette. I- I wish we could have-” He floundered, struggling to complete his thought when the woman beside him lifted one hand and cut him off.

“I think it would be best if you left, Adrien. _Without_ finishing that sentence,” she said quietly, refusing to meet his gaze. Adrien flinched slightly, but he couldn’t blame her. He was being incredibly unfair right now and besides… how would he have completed that sentence without sounding like a complete ass? _I wish we could have found each other six years ago? I wish you hadn’t left the hotel room before I woke up? I wish things could be different? I wish I had never agreed to marry Chloe, knowing I was already head over heels for you?_ Yeah, that wouldn’t go over very well. So instead, Adrien didn’t say anything. He didn’t look back or say another word. He didn’t try to protest or plead his case because in the end, he would only be hurting Marinette more and he couldn’t bear to cause her any more unnecessary pain.

Shoving his hands deep into his pockets, Adrien turned towards home. In truth, it was the last place he wanted to be right now. That being said, he had already been gone for far too long and Chloe had already called and texted him a ridiculous number of times _before_ he had turned his phone off. He chose not to turn it on now, certain there would be hell to pay when he returned to the mansion but for once, not caring. For the moment, he just wanted a tiny bit of peace and quiet. This early on a Sunday morning, the streets were relatively quiet and those who were walking along the sidewalk meandered silently in groups of two, three, or four, chattering animatedly or simply basking in the warmth of their companions’ presence. A twinge of envy shot through him as he took the long way through the park, not rushing as he strolled down the sunlit path.

Around him, the benches were filled with couples cuddling as they enjoyed a languid Sunday off work. On the playground, children shrieked and giggled and Adrien paused briefly to watch as several kids started up a game of tag that soon swept over the playground until all the kids were chasing after one each other. Their laughter rang in his ears, reminding him sharply of the absence of children in his own life. Adrien had always wanted to be a father. Even as a little boy, he had dreamed of one day having kids of his own. His future endeavors had been laughed at when he had shared them with the children at the playground, but when he had whispered them to his mother she had smiled oh-so-gently and promised him there was no shame in wanting a family one day. Not for the first time, he wondered if she was in heaven, looking down on him. Was she disappointed with the choices he had made in his life? Disappointed that he had failed to stand up to his father the way she had always been able to do?

Emilie Agreste was, even to this date, the only person who could thoroughly put Gabriel Agreste in his place. She had possessed a fiery spirit and a thirst for freedom, and she hadn’t taken well to the gilded cage his father had tried to keep them in. When his father had insisted Adrien play on the playground equipment on their estate rather than at the public park, his mother had scoffed self-righteously and declared that no son of _hers_ would spend his life locked away in a tower. She had been a firm believer in Adrien experiencing life to the fullest. It was one of the things he had loved about her and even now, he could remember trips to the Aquarium, the Zoo, and various interactive learning centers and Museums as he had grown up. His favorite had been the Science Center. He had been fascinated by the law of physics and upon learning this, his mother had been quick to incorporate the subject into his regular studies.

When Emilie Agreste had gone missing, things had changed drastically. She was undeniably the glue that held the family together and without her, the Agreste family began to fall apart. For weeks, Gabriel Agreste searched far and wide for his wife. Private Investigators were hired and paid handsomely, but nothing turned up. Left alone to his own devices, Adrien mourned the loss of his mother, often sneaking off the estate grounds for a breath of fresh air and to revisit the places that had been so dear to him and his mother. Until suddenly, and without warning, Gabriel tightened the leash he had on his son and restricted him from leaving the estate without his bodyguard. It was never clear to Adrien whether his father had found the answers he sought and simply chose not to share them with his still grieving son, or if he had just given up. Either way, Gabriel Agreste threw himself into his work more than ever before, leaving his ever-faithful assistant to pick up the pieces of a lost and broken boy.

In truth, Adrien Agreste hadn’t known true freedom in a very long time. Perhaps that’s why he was so drawn to Marinette. She was so carefree and spirited. She owned life and made it her own with no regrets. Marinette Dupain-Cheng lived her life freely, enriching her life and the life of her children with experiences much in the way his own mother had tried to do for him. He admired that about her and he hoped to one day be able to do the same for his own children… if Chloe ever permitted them to have any. Sighing, Adrien eventually left the park behind and headed the last few blocks to the Agreste Mansion, using a keycode to let himself in through the ostentatious front gates. Hands shoved deep in his pockets, Adrien mounted the front steps and tugged on the door, mildly surprised to find that it was unlocked. He was significantly less surprised to see the trio awaiting him in the foyer.

Conversation cut off abruptly as he slipped through the door, three pairs of eyes of varying shades of blue turning to stare at him. At the center, several steps up the grand staircase so that he stood above the other two, Gabriel Agreste looked as cool and unflappable as always. His white suit, gray dress shirt, and red and white striped tie were pristine as always, his pale blue-gray eyes narrowed behind wire-rimmed glasses. To his left, Chloe Bourgeois stood, mouth half open, face twisted into a scowl as if she had been in the middle of arguing with the other two when he entered. Her hair was slightly more frazzled than usual, bags under her baby blue eyes showing her lack of sleep the previous night, but her yellow jacket, black and white striped tee-shirt, and white slacks were in perfect order. Finally, to his father’s right, Nathalie Sancoeur stood in a flawless black suit and red turtleneck, not a hair out of place. Her sky blue eyes were widened slightly behind her glasses, ever-present phone suspended halfway to her ear. She was the first to react to his sudden appearance, ending the call and turning towards him, hands clasping behind her back as she appraised him coolly.

“Welcome home, Adrien,” she greeted calmly. Beside her, Chloe schooled her features but the anger was clear behind her eyes.

“Adrien. Where have you been? I have been worried sick!” She growled, the first to approach him. The blonde man glanced down into her baby blue eyes as she grabbed his wrist and not for the first time pondered at the truth behind her words. Sure, Chloe looked a little out of sorts and it was obvious she hadn’t slept well… but was that because she was genuinely worried about him or because she worried her control over him was slipping?

“I apologize if I worried you, Chloe. That wasn’t my intention,” he murmured, low enough for only her to hear. She scoffed, nose wrinkling in dissatisfaction at his words.

“Where were you last night? Your bodyguard didn’t return last night either?” She finally asked, lower lip jutting out petulantly like a small child that wasn’t getting their way.

“A friend of mine was attacked, Chloe. I was helping her,” he said, this time loud enough for the other two to hear. As he spoke, his eyes flickered up and noted with some curiosity that Nathalie had visibly stiffened, face tightening into a mask of discomfort before smoothing once again. Briefly, he wondered if there was a story there but his train of thought was derailed when his father finally spoke.

“Adrien. I am certain I don’t need to remind you that you have a reputation to uphold and keeping company with… unsavory people… is not the Agreste way,” Gabriel Agreste said, not a hint of emotion entering his tone.

“Marinette is far from unsavory, father. She was in trouble; I couldn’t just stand by and let her get hurt,” the blonde responded calmly. Beside him, Chloe’s hold on his wrist tightened until her nails dug almost painfully into his skin.

“Maritrash? You spent the night at _Maritrash’s_ apartment!?” The young woman shrilled, blue eyes comically wide. Adrien winced at her tone, carefully disentangling himself from her vice-like grip before he responded.

“Chloe, I wish you wouldn’t call her that,” he murmured in quiet admonishment. She scoffed and tossed her blonde ponytail haughtily in response.

“Why do you care, Adrikiins? That woman is beneath us. She’s nothing but a lowly slut who will _clearly_ spread her legs for anyone,” Chloe glanced at him, clearly expecting his immediate agreement, but blanched at the frosty look that had entered his Veridian gaze.

“Has anyone ever told you that you’re kind of a bitch, Chloe?” Adrien asked, almost offhandedly as he glared down at the woman. Chloe blinked, mouth hanging open in obvious disbelief, as a deafening silence seemed to settle over the foyer. It seemed like hours, but in reality was only a few strained moments, before his father finally broke the silence.

“Adrien,” Gabriel said in quiet admonishment, but for once Adrien wasn’t planning on backing down.

“No, it’s true. I think it would be best if Chloe took one of the guest bedrooms for a while. If you need me, I’ll be in my bedroom,” the man said firmly, sweeping past the stunned blonde and passing his father on the stairs. No one else dared say a word.

  


The next several weeks passed in a blur. Correspondence with Marinette was brief, completely professional, and nothing like seeing the woman in the flesh. At his father’s request, Adrien began modeling once more but it was more for his own sanity than an actual desire to return to his childhood career. Sitting in his giant bedroom, with only Plagg for company, was driving him insane. After their brief argument in the foyer the day he had returned home, Chloe had been unusually subdued. She wasn’t her usual controlling or self-centered self. In fact, she was borderline polite. She didn’t push, didn’t argue, and even when he allowed her to return to his bedroom after a week, she seemed to walk on eggshells around him. As horrible as it might seem, Adrien was relieved that she finally seemed to have been put firmly in her place.

Marinette was not mentioned in the Agreste Mansion. He had fully expected to be called into his father’s office to discuss the woman, but as the days turned to weeks, he eventually realized it wasn’t going to happen. Chloe didn’t mention her either; not even to call her ‘Maritrash’, and for this he was grateful. He had enough reminders of the captivating woman as it was. Whenever he an intern brought him a Latte, he thought of Marinette laughing at what she fondly referred to as his ‘frilly drinks’ and how she preferred taking her coffee with just a hint of cream, no sugar. When he passed the buffet table at his modeling gigs and saw the wide selection of pastries that none of the models would be permitted to touch, he thought of the many delicacies that came from the Dupain-Cheng Bakery and found himself wondering if any of them had been bought from the friendly couple who had raised Marinette.

When he passed through the park on what was fast becoming his routine and almost daily walks, the shrieks and shouts of children and the comforting murmuring of the mothers reminded him of how Marinette interacted with Emma and Louis. Almost as much as he missed their mother, he found himself missing the children too. It was like a thorn in his side and he had the resist the urge to buy them toys and stuffed animals like an overindulgent father. September slipped away agonizingly slowly, but with the amount of modeling work he was doing for his father, he found he rarely had time to dwell on his problems. Most mornings, he was up before the sun, returning home and falling into bed long after the sun had disappeared once again. It was both a blessing and a curse. His near constant state of exhaustion ensured he couldn’t think of Marinette as often he had in those first days, but it also meant that he was rarely ever one hundred percent rested and that was taking a toll of its own on his mental health.

It was a few days into October that he finally got a rare day off. So used to waking up at the crack of dawn, Adrien couldn’t force himself to sleep past 7 am and he busied himself with menial cleaning tasks around his already flawless bedroom before finally breaking out his old gaming system. A few hours of Ultimate Mecha Strike III did him a world of good, and by noon he was almost feeling halfway normal. With nothing planned for the rest of the day, Adrien decided to call Nino and see if he wanted to hang out for the date. He had barely spoken to his friend or his wife, and if he were being honest he missed the companionship. Nino, who happened to have the day off through some stroke of luck, was quick to agree, despite sounding somewhat subdued on the phone, and the two decided to meet at a local cafe for a late lunch.

Adrien arrived first, securing a table and pulling out his phone to sort through his emails while he waited. Most of it was junk mail. There were a few emails from Agreste Headquarters, confirming the meeting in which they would discuss the budget for a new line that was set to come out the following summer, and Nathalie had kindly sent him his schedule for the next week for him to go over. She still met him in the dining room each morning to go over the schedule for the day, and to inform him of any last minute changes, but he appreciated having a copy of the schedule to tentatively plan around it… should he want to make plans with his only friend. There was one email from Marinette, and the speed with which he opened it was rather depressing. Especially given the email was as straightforward and impersonal as always, detailing vague ideas of the line they were creating and offering a few attached images of her rough drafts.

Nino arrived then, and Adrien decided to look at the pictures when he got home. For now, he would rather focus on his usually bubbly and energetic best friend and hopefully forget his troubles for a few hours. He half rose, one hand lifted in greeting as a grin settled on his face, but the smile faltered as he took in his friend’s appearance. In all the years that Adrien had known Nino Lahiffe, his friend had always been as calm and unflappable as Gabriel Agreste always appeared to be. Of course, his calm and unflappable was a million times warmer than his father’s and held a rather relaxing quality to it that put people immediately at ease around him. Now, however, he looked absolutely haggard. His clothes were rumpled, hair unkempt where it stuck out from beneath his ever-present red ball cap, and his eyes were heavy-lidded with exhaustion as he slid into the seat across from Adrien.

“Man, you look like crap,” Adrien said, wincing as he realized that probably wasn’t the best thing to say, especially right off the bat. Judging from the unamused look his friend shot him, his words were not appreciated at _all._

“Gee, thanks. Sorry, we can’t all look like literal balls of sunshine all the time,” his friend retorted sarcastically, further worrying the blonde. Adrien grimaced apologetically and wisely changed the subject. The pair mostly made small talk as they waited for their waitress, placing their drink orders while perusing the menu. The Cafe they had selected offered a fair number of breakfast and lunch items and deciding to forego his diet for one day Adrien ordered the Steak and Eggs while Nino ordered a Stuffed Omelette and some Hash Browns, apparently deciding to join him in his decision to have breakfast for lunch. Again, talk was minimal and as their meal wore on, it became increasingly obvious that something was weighing quite heavily on his friend’s shoulders. After Adrien had paid and tipped the waitress, their dishes cleared save for fresh drinks, Adrien finally decided to tentatively broach the subject. He wasn’t quite certain how to begin, so he started with the most obvious question.

“Are Alya and the kids okay?” He asked worriedly, certain that Nino would have said something if there was something wrong with his wife or one of his kids. Judging from the surprised look shot his way, he was pleased to deduce they, at least, were fine.

“Yeah, of course. Why do you ask?” The darker skinned man asked, hazel eyes curious behind his wire-framed glasses. The blonde gave a weak shrug and a sheepish grin.

“You’ve just seemed off since you got here,” he explained, taking a sip of his Latte and debating several minutes before hesitatingly asking the question that had plagued him since he had set up the lunch date with his best friend. “How- How is Marinette?”

Nino arched his brow, expression becoming somewhat guarded as he eyeballed his friend uncertainly before he responded. “I thought you two were working together? Haven’t you talked to her recently?”

“Um… not outside of emails. We kind of had a… disagreement. I was an ass, to be completely honest. So, no, we haven’t really spoken recently,” he admitted, shoulders dropping as he studied the foam covering the top of his drink. The barista had somehow drawn a leaf in the foam, but for once even that wasn’t enough to cheer him up. “I really messed up,” he added, voice so quiet he was certain Nino had to strain to hear him.

“Marinette is… she’s not doing too well,” Nino finally admitted, shoulders slumping in defeat. Adrien’s eyes widened immediately in concern.

“Is she okay? Is she sick? Is someone harassing her!?” He demanded, voice rising slightly until the curious looks of the shop’s other patrons forced him to lower his volume. Nino leaned back, eyebrows arching, and it was then Adrien realized he was half out of his seat, hands on the table as he leaned towards his friends. Sheepishly, he dropped back into his seat with a mumbled apology.

“It’s okay, dude. You obviously care about her. It’s not Mari that’s sick… it’s Louis,” Nino admitted, tears suddenly pricking at his hazel eyes. After that, Adrien grilled his friend for any information he possessed but it was unfortunately limited. Although Marinette had told him and Alya everything she knew, it wasn’t much to go on and until she met with the doctors, new information was somewhat lacking. Returning home later that evening, after spending the rest of the afternoon at Nino and Alya’s apartment, Adrien decided to take a risk and stop by Marinette’s apartment. He knocked, several times, but no answer came and eventually one of her neighbors who was leaving her apartment as he was about to knock again kindly informed him she had rushed to the hospital several hours before with her two kids in tow.

Adrien thanked her for the information and returned home reluctantly. There were too many hospitals in Paris to go searching through each and every one of them and besides, Marinette likely wouldn’t approve of him showing up unannounced at the hospital while waiting to hear news on her son’s condition. Adrien tried several times to call her, but though her phone was on the calls remained unanswered and eventually, he resorted to emailing her. Those, too, went unanswered and as the days passed by Adrien could feel himself go stir crazy. He couldn’t sleep, couldn’t eat. When pressed by his father, Nathalie, and Chloe as to what was bothering him, he mutely shook his head in apology and returned to his own bedroom. In those days, Plagg was his sole source of comfort.

The black cat, usually aloof when it came to expressing his affections, was unusually cuddly and barely left Adrien’s side throughout the day. When Adrien decided to cancel his appointments and lay in bed all day with the lights out, Plagg was right there on his pillow, purring his motorboat purr and occasionally pawing lazily at the golden bangs that were fast becoming too long. Eventually, sheer exhaustion won out and on Halloween, Adrien fell into a deep and dreamless slumber. Somewhere in the wee hours of the morning, the shrill of his phone made him jolt awake. He groaned, almost debating ignoring it, before finally grabbing it and blindly hitting answer.

“Hello?” He mumbled, tossing one arm over his eyes against the glare of his phone screen and not moving from his position in the bed. There was a long beat of silence, and Adrien strongly considered hanging up, when a noise came from the other end of the line that had him sitting up abruptly, startling Plagg awake with the movement. The cat yowled in protest and leaped off the bed in annoyance but Adrien ignored him, focusing instead on the soft, ragged sobs that were coming from the other end of the line. He didn’t have to look at the caller ID to instinctively know who was on the other line, and his voice was soft when he spoke again. “...Marinette?”

On the other end of the line, the sobs grew in force and Adrien found himself murmuring soft, gentle words of reassurance even as he quietly begged her to tell him what was wrong so that he could just _fix_ it. “Marinette… Marinette, I need you to calm down and talk to me. _Please_ , _Mon Coeur_ , just talk to me,” he pleaded desperately. It took several long minutes for the sobs to subside, the ragged breathing to slow enough for her to finally speak.

“A-Adrien?” She choked out, and her voice sounded incredibly small and lost at that moment. It killed him. Since he had come to know her, Marinette had always presented herself as a bright and sunny woman. She was endearingly and sometimes frustratingly optimistic but that was one of the things he adored about her. This was not that woman and he wished desperately for some way to bring her back.

“I’m here, Princess,” he promised gently.

“I- I need your help,” she whispered, desperation edging her tone. “Please I- I need you.”

Adrien didn’t need to think about his answer, even for an instant. At that moment, he would have moved the sun and earth to stop her tears. “Anything, Princess. Just tell me what you need me to do,” he promised.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ARE YOU READY!?!?!? The first part of the reveal will be happening in the next chapter guys! This whole story has led up to this point and omg I cannot wait!!! Are you as excited as I am?


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Angst. So much angst. You can't escape it. I am the literal angst master, guys

Marinette twisted her hands together, anxiety pulsing through her as she paced back and forth in front of her apartment building. It was just past noon, and she was waiting for Adrien to arrive. She was more than a little embarrassed over her breakdown last night, but more than that, she was dreadfully worried. Worried about Louis, who had looked so pale and frail standing beside her father earlier that day when she had dropped him off. Worried about Adrien and how he would take the news. He hadn’t taken it too well last time and, granted, she had brought proof this time but would it be enough? She wanted to believe that Adrien would believe her and make the right decision, but how well did she really know him? For all she knew, he would take one look at her when she told him and laugh her out of the cafe they were going to. Did she honestly believe that? Not entirely… but it was still a possibility.

Before she could dwell further on that fact, a familiar black limo pulled up to the curb and the door opened to reveal the man in question. Adrien stepped out of the car and hesitated, one hand on the car door as if he was uncertain about what he was supposed to be doing. She thought back to the messages and emails he had left her the past few weeks and steeled herself. Adrien cared. He did. He cared about her, and he cared about the kids. She had to believe that. He would listen. She refused to believe otherwise. The ravenette offered the blonde a small smile that didn’t fully reach her eyes and when he opened his arms to her, she stepped into them and buried her face in his chest. His arms came around her as her shoulders shook with barely suppressed sobs. They stood there for several long minutes, neither speaking as they clung to one another. It was only when a car honked somewhere in the distance that they finally separated and Mariette lifted a hand to dash away the tears that had sprung to her eyes.

“Are you okay?” Adrien finally spoke, gentle concern in his Veridian gaze. She started to nod but paused before shaking her head instead. Lying would do no good here.

“We need to talk, Adrien. Can we… can we just head to the cafe?” She asked, hope and desperation burning in her eyes. She needed a few moments to collect herself before she came clean. Adrien nodded rapidly and ushered her into the back of the limo, following after her quickly. Up front, the Gorilla glanced in the mirror and grunted in greeting before focusing on the road as he pulled away from the curb. The ride to the cafe was barely ten minutes, and in that time neither spoke. They stared out their respective windows, occasionally shooting glances at their companion from the corner of their eye, but for the most part, they were each lost in their own thoughts. Marinette didn’t even fully realize they had arrived until her door was pulled open, startling her out of her reverie. Giving herself a mental shake, she stepped out of the car and joined Adrien near the front bumper.

The cafe she had chosen was a very small, quaint place. It was off the beaten path and didn’t get a whole lot of foot traffic. Most of the occupants were regulars, or people brought in by regulars. The interior was dimly lit, the tables far apart from one another for optimal privacy. They wouldn’t be bothered here. The pair made their way to the front counter and ordered. Marinette opted for a simple tea with a dash of cream and sugar. Adrien got his usual: a vanilla latte. The cafe was fairly quiet, so their drinks were made quickly and the two moved to a secluded table in the very back of the cafe, as far from the other patrons as they could get. Adrien watched Marinette over the rim of his cup after they sat, a worried look on his face. She was fidgeting with her cup more than actually attempting to drink the contents and her movements were sharp and jerky. Physically, she looked exhausted. She was still as beautiful as the day he’d met her, but there were obvious bags under her eyes, her skin was paler than usual causing the freckles dusting her cheeks to stand out more sharply, and there was a gauntness to her cheeks that made him think she wasn’t eating. Her hair was barely contained in a messy bun and she wore an off the shoulder pink sweater, a simple pair of flats, and a pair of dark leggings that were starting to fray at the hem.

“Are you hungry?” He blurted out, wincing when the woman across from him jumped like a skittish rabbit. Her eyes met his across the table briefly before flitting away as she shook her head with a sharp jerk.

“No, thank you,” she mumbled, shoulders sagging. In fact, her whole body seemed to sag, as if she were curling in on herself. It kind of broke his heart to watch and he cautiously reached across the table to lay one hand over hers. She stiffened immediately but didn’t draw away. He was both surprised and not surprised to find she was almost vibrating with nerves and he had to wonder how much coffee or tea she had been drinking the last few weeks. From the looks of her, she was practically living off the stuff. He had to wonder when the last time she had actually slept was.

“You should eat, Mari. You don’t look well,” Adrien murmured pleadingly. “Please, I’ll buy you whatever you want to eat.”

“I _can’t_ , Adrien. I can’t eat,” she whispered, lips pressing together in a grimace.

“Because of Louis?” Adrien prodded. Across from him, the raven-haired woman went completely still. She had to know he knew something was wrong with the boy. She might not have answered him but she had to have gotten the numerous text messages, voicemails, and emails that he had sent since Nino had told him the child was sick.

“How much did Nino tell you?” She whispered finally, a note of defeat and acceptance in her voice. Adrien squeezed her hand gently, trying to offer her whatever comfort he could.

“Just that Louie was sick, and that you didn’t know much. Last night… you talked to the doctor, right? What did he say?” The blonde worried his bottom lip between his teeth, worried for a moment that he had stepped out of bounds or pressed her too hard by asking. She was silent for a long moment, seeming to wage an internal battle, and instinctively he stayed silent and let her work through whatever was bothering her without interference. It took a while, and during that time Adrien almost finished draining his latte whereas her tea remained almost untouched. After what seemed like forever, her shoulders squared and she gave a brief, sharp nod and finally lifted her bluebell gaze to his. Unconsciously, Adrien sat up straighter as a thrill of unease shot down his spine. It was obvious that whatever was wrong with the child was serious. Was Louis gravely ill? Was he injured? Was Marinette going to ask him for money? If so, he would give it without hesitance. He hadn’t known her long but he knew that she wouldn’t ask for money unless she really, really needed it. She was a prideful person who didn’t like taking handouts from others.

“I need you to promise me something,” she said, a note of fear entering her voice as her gaze bore into his across the table. Adrien nodded immediately.

“Anything, Marinette,” he assured.

“Promise me you’ll listen. Promise me you’ll keep an open mind, Adrien. If, when I’m done, you want to walk out of here and never speak to me again, I understand. I won’t stop you but… wait until I’m done, please?” She pleaded, desperation written across her face. Adrien hesitated, his own nerves rising, but he nodded slowly. She didn’t relax, but a soft puff of relief escaped her and the tiniest hint of a smile flickered across her lips before it disappeared once more. Twisting, the young woman dug through her oversized purse and eventually produced a pale pink folder. Adrien stared at it curiously as she set it before her on the table, wondering if she had compiled a list or presentation of why he should lend her money. He wanted to open his mouth and just tell her he would give her whatever she needed, but her earlier words replayed in his head and made him hesitate. She wanted to speak and it wasn’t his place to stop her from doing just that.

“I promise, Marinette,” he said instead, an encouraging smile gracing his lips. The young woman searched his gaze for any hint of deception but finding none gave a sharp nod and let out a gusty breath.

“Okay, um… first, I guess I should tell you that I never meant to keep this from you, Adrien. Well, I did, briefly. But then I decided you had a right to know and I was going to come clean but your-” she broke off, a pained expression crossing her face before she gave a sharp shake of her head. “Never mind, my reasons aren’t really that important. Um… where was I? Oh, okay. Um… so, you know how we met almost seven years ago?”

“Yes…?” Adrien blinked, staring across the table as the woman fidgeted with her cup of tea. She lifted it to take a sip but paused with the cup halfway to her mouth before setting it down once more untasted. At this point, her tea was probably pretty cold.

“Okay, so let me ask you a question. How long is a woman pregnant between conception and time of birth?” She asked, arching a brow. Adrien blinked at the seemingly random topic being brought up and stared hard at the woman across from him. There, just under the surface, he swore he detected the faintest hint of amusement. A twinkle in her eye that hadn’t been there before. Was this some kind of elaborate joke? Surely Marinette wouldn’t joke about something so serious though, right?

“Nine months… what’s this about, Mari?” He pressed, propping his elbows on the table and settling his chin atop his folded hands as he leaned in closer. The amusement, if it had even been there in the first place, was long gone now, replaced with that haunted look she had possessed upon first greeting him outside of her apartment building.

“Do you know how old my kids are?” She asked instead of answering, her gaze seeming to drill holes into his. The man across from her shifted, distinctly uncomfortable now, as he wracked his brain. He knew she had told him their birthday at some point.

“They just turned six, didn’t they? On the sixth?” He asked, looking to her for confirmation. She dipped her head in agreement and opened the folder, sifting through a few of the papers within before glancing up at him.

“So, Adrien… that’s six years, plus the nine months between conception and their birth, which makes almost seven years, correct?” she recapped, placing two pieces of paper face down between them.

“Marinette, why do I get the distinct feeling that you’re laughing at me?” He asked dryly. Across from him, the woman’s face cracked into the barest hint of a smile. Despite her exhaustion and the obvious signs of grief, that little smile lit up her face and made her absolutely breathtaking.

“Because I kind of am, Adrien. You study physics for fun. You’re smarter than this,” she pointed out, looking down at the papers and then back at him. Adrien imitated her glance down and back up, arching an unamused brow.

“Am I supposed to turn those over?”

“If you want to,” she allowed.

“Why do I feel like I’m walking into a trap?”

“Because apparently, you’re ridiculously paranoid,” she muttered, rolling her eyes. Adrien grinned, relieved to see some of her fiery spirit returning, and reached out to grab the paper. Before he could flip either over, Marinette’s hand landed on his, stilling his movements. He glanced up in question and found the worry was back, a hint of panic and fear lurking in her cerulean orbs. “Promise me one more time, Adrien. Promise me you’ll hear me out before you leave,” she begged.

“I promise,” he assured. She hesitated briefly before finally retracting her hand and picking up her cup. This time, she did bring the drink fully to her mouth but he got the feeling it was more for something to do than an actual desire to drink the now cold beverage. The blonde watched the ravenette for another long minute before finally flipping the papers before him right-side up. He immediately identified them as birth certificates.

“No one has seen those except you and me and the nurse. Louis and Emma have… well, for lack of a better word, they have fakes that they use in school. Doctored copies that have my last name, instead of theirs. For… privacy purposes.” she offered an explanation. He shot her a confused look before scanning quickly through the top one. He very quickly understood what she meant… because the last name on this birth certificate wasn’t the one he was expecting.

 

 **Name;** Louis Adrien Agreste

 **DOB;** October 6th, 2012

 **Mother’s Name;** Marinette Louise Dupain-Cheng

 **Father’s Name;** Adrien Michael Agreste

Adrien swallowed hard, a difficult task given the lump in his throat. He looked across the table, at the woman resolutely avoiding his gaze by staring into her tea, before silently flipping to the second birth certificate.

 **Name;** Emilia Rose Agreste

 **DOB;** October 6th, 2012

 **Mother’s Name;** Marinette Louise Dupain-Cheng

 **Father’s Name;** Adrien Michael Agreste

 

Marinette shifted in her chair suddenly, drawing his gaze back to her once more. Her brow was furrowed, shoulders tense, fingertips white from the vice grip she had on her cup. The silence between them stretched on. Adrien wasn’t sure how he should feel right now. He was angry, for sure. Hurt, betrayed, most definitely. At this point, he honestly couldn’t tell if she was playing or not. Was this just another elaborate prank on her part? Was she genuinely trying to fool him into believing they were his? Or, perhaps scariest of all, were they really his kids? If they were, that meant that he was a father which, to be fair, he wouldn’t mind all that much. What he _would_ mind was discovering the woman he was majorly crushing on had kept them from him for nearly seven years. He swallowed hard before speaking.

“What are you playing at, Marinette?” He asked sharply, lifting his gaze to scowl across the table at the woman before him.

“This isn’t a joke, Adrien.” She said firmly.

“You said it was. Before, the first time you tried saying they were my children,” he pointed out. Across from him, the raven-haired woman grimaced.

“I know. You were so angry and you were going to leave and- where are you going?” She blinked owlishly as he rose, cup practically crushed beneath his fingertips.

“I don’t have time for this shit, Marinette,” he snapped, turning away. Before he could make his escape, Marinette’s voice cut through the near silence of the cafe.

“Would you sit the _fuck_ down and just _listen_!?” She snapped, causing him to freeze and blink at her in surprise. She was half out of her chair, hand hanging in the air between. Sighing, he reluctantly dropped back down into the chair.

“This is ridic-”

“Shut _up_ , Adrien. Shut the _fuck_ up and let me talk. I haven’t slept in _weeks_ and I honestly can’t remember the last time I ate. I am tired, hungry, and grouchy as fuck so if you could just sit there and pay attention, I would really freaking appreciate it,” she growled. Adrien blinked, dumbfounded by her outburst, and finally nodded mutely. The woman let out a gusty sigh, squeezing the bridge of her nose between two fingers before finally sinking back down into her seat.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have snapped like that. That was out of line,” she apologized, the anger seeming to leave her in a rush. “You promised to hear me out though, Adrien. I need you to listen.”

“Fine,” he grumbled, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms like a petulant child. He leveled a sour look at the woman across from him and after a moment, her lips twitched up into a fond smile, but she doesn’t comment on it and neither does he.

“Look, if you want a paternity test, we can do that. I have no problem proving they’re yours. You need to realize though, that you were my first and my _only_. Adrien, the timeline fits perfectly. You realize that, right? Emma has your eyes; Louis had your hair. They look so much like you… you asked me if they were your dad’s. Is it really so much of a leap to say they’re yours?” She pressed gently. Adrien shifted awkwardly and dropped his gaze, shame washing through him temporarily.

“Okay, suppose I believe you… why did you lie? You said it was just a joke,” he pointed out uncertainly.

“You were so angry, Adrien. I was scared you would walk out and I would never see you again,” she whispered, regret lacing her tone. He nodded slowly.

“Why didn’t you tell me from the beginning? You figured out pretty quickly who I was, right? You could have come forward at any time,” he pointed out.

“Partially because I thought you were better off without us. I was a broke college student. You were a rich, famous model. Son of one of the biggest tycoons in the fashion industry. You had- _have_ -your whole life ahead of you and I didn’t want to ruin that for you,” she whispered. Adrien glared at her.

“You should have given me that choice. I would have stayed, Marinette. It would never have crossed my mind to leave you or the kids,” he pointed out sharply.

“I know that now. It was stupid and selfish and… I can’t begin to tell you how sorry I am, Adrien.” She whispered. Silence fell over the table as Adrien processed the information that had just been thrown at him. Okay… so he was a father. That would take some getting used to but it wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. He had already come to adore Emma and Louis. They were such smart, intuitive kids and he enjoyed being around them. Being their father wouldn’t exactly be a hardship. Supposing he chose to believe her, that it. He would still order a paternity test but that was mostly a formality. Emma really did have his eyes… and Louis did have that mop of blonde of his that had been present since he was a chubby little toddler. Okay, so hypothetically he had two amazing children with an equally amazing woman who just happened to have decided to keep them from him all this time. Okay, maybe slightly less than amazing then.

“You said that was partially the reason? What was the other part?” He suddenly asked, looking back up to meet her gaze.

“I… It’s hard to explain, Adrien. Someone found out about the twins and they didn’t want you to find out. They threatened me; threatened to take the kids away,” she explained nervously, fingers twisting together anxiously.

“Who, Marinette? The same person who sent the Brun brothers after you?” He pressed impatiently. Her reaction was enough of an answer. She immediately stiffened, face paling to a ghostly pallor as she stared across the table at him. He pressed harder, determined for an answer. “Who?”

“I can’t tell you,” she whispered.

“That isn’t good enough, Marinette!”Adrien snapped, slamming his hands down on the table. She flinched as a deafening silence filled the cafe. Adrien glanced around, finding the other patrons and the employees all staring at the dup with varying degrees of concern and curiosity. Wincing, he slid down further in his seat and ran a hand roughly across his face before leveling her with a scowl and speaking in a quieter voice. "That isn’t good enough. I have a right to know,” he said fiercely.

“You do, Adrien. I’m not disputing that. But you can’t protect me from him. He had the money and power to spin me in a bad enough light that I could lose the kids. Emma and Louis are my whole world, Adrien. I can’t lose them,” she pleading, silently begging him to understand where she was coming from.

“They could have been _my_ world too,” the man said quietly, shoulders sagging in defeat. Across from him, the ravenette flinched and nodded miserably in agreement.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered.

“Sorry won’t cut it this time, Marinette. I deserved a right to be their father and you kept them from me. Do Emma and Louis know?” He asked, fighting against the instinct to just forgive her and move on. Her grief got to him like nothing else could and he _hated_ that at the moment. He didn’t want to forgive her. Not with this. She didn’t deserve his forgiveness.

“Emma figured it out pretty quickly after meeting you. I think Louis overheard us talking about it but he hasn’t said anything so I can’t be sure,” she admitted. “Nino and Alya have no clue.”

“Keeping them from me was a shitty thing to do,” he said, running a hand roughly over his face again. She nodded, fingers tightening further against the mug.

“It was, and I’m sorry. Please, Adrien. You have to understand how sorry I am. I wish I could go back in time and change things. I wish I’d had the courage to fight for you, for us,” she whispered.

“But you didn’t.”

“No… no, I didn’t. I was a coward.”

“You were. I could have helped you, Marinette,” he pointed out. She shook her head immediately, unease flickering into her blue eyes.

“No… no, Adrien, You couldn’t. Not against him,” she whispered, a shudder ripping through her.

“If not for this person… were you going to tell me?” He asked. Across from him, she hesitated and anger pulsed through him. “You weren’t, were you? You were already planning on keeping them from me.”

“No! I mean… yes? Sort of? It’s complicated, Adrien. I told you, I thought you were better off without them. Without _us._ Adrien, you could have any woman in the city. You were a famous model. You have a life that I could never have fit into. People would have talked; your name would have been splashed across every tabloid magazine in France. Your reputation would have been tarnished by association. You didn’t need us ruining your life like that,” she admitted.

“That wasn’t your decision to make!” Adrien snarled, standing up abruptly. The raven-haired woman flinched and looked up at him, wide eyed as he scowled down at her. “I wouldn’t give two shits what people said or thought, Marinette. They’re my _kids_ and I would have loved them and you with every fiber of my being. You took that decision away from me,” he snapped, practically vibrating with rage now. Marinette half rose, reaching out to him pleadingly.

“Please, Adrien. Please, let’s talk about this,” she begged. “I need-”

“What about what _I_ need, Marinette?” Adrien growled, cutting her off. “What about what _I_ want? I mean, do you even fucking hear yourself right now? You kept our kids from me for _seven years_ and won’t even give me the name of the bastard who’s been blackmailing you? Fuck that, I’m out of here.”

Adrien turned away, his whole body quivering with barely controlled rage. He was hurt, and angry, and he felt betrayed in the worst way possible. He had always wanted kids, and because of one woman’s selfishness and some unknown bastard’s ulterior motives, he had been prevented from watching his children grow up. If she had told him about them from the get go, he would have embraced them, embraced her, without a second thought. No one would have stopped him from being the father that he had never had. She had taken that away from him and he was so furious, he couldn’t even bear to look at her. But as he started to leave, her voice pulled him back and against his better judgement, he paused.

“Adrien,” She whispered, quietly begging him to listen.

“ _What_?” He snarled, refusing to look over his shoulder. The words that came out of her mouth next caused the anger to leave in a flood, replaced by a rush of fear and dread.

“Adrien, _please_ … Louis is dying.”

  


“You can leave if you want, Adrien. I’ll call you as soon as the results come in.” Adrien glanced up as Marinette broke the silence that had reigned over them for the last few hours. After dropping her devastating news in the cafe, she had explained that Louis was very sick and needed a special transplant if he were to get better. Unfortunately, she wasn’t a match and neither were her parents, Alya, or Nino.

“I’m not going anywhere, Marinette,” he said, exhaustion lacing his tone. It hadn’t taken much convincing to get him to agree to help out, of course. Louis was a great kid. Even if he weren’t his son, Adrien would have agreed to help in anyway he could. The ride to the hospital had been oppressively silent. Marinette and Adrien sat as far from each other as possible in the backseat, staring out their respective windows, neither one willing to be the one to break the silence. At the hospital, Marinette had waited in the waiting room while Adrien was rushed into the back where he was taken through a series of tests before being sent back out and told to wait. They would rush the results as much as they could, but it would still be a few hours.

In the time that they had been sitting in the waiting room, Marinette hadn’t moved a muscle. She was almost catatonic, staring off into space with a blank look on her face. Sitting four chairs down from her Adrien, by comparison, hadn’t stopped moving. He bounced his leg, shifted in his seat, fidgeted, got up to pace back and forth before returning inevitably to his seat. Nothing seemed capable of soothing the bundle of nerves electrifying his stomach at that moment. He felt sick with anxiety and craved Marinette’s special brand of comfort but he was too prideful to go over to her. His anger was still there, but it was buried now beneath his worry for the son he hadn’t known he had until a short few hours before. Leaning forward, Adrien settled his elbows on his knees and buried his face in his hands, fighting against the tears that stung at his eyes and clogged his throat. It wasn’t fair. Louis had just been delivered to him and now he was on the verge of being taken away.

“Mommy!” The high pitched squeak of a small child jolted him from his thoughts and he snapped his head up to turn towards the sound. His body went rigid as he watched Emma Agreste-his _daughter_ -fly across the room to launch herself at her mother. Marinette seemed to come to life at the sound of her daughter’s voice, opening her arms immediately to receive the child. Emma launched herself into the woman’s arms, a bright grin on her face. She wore a simple yellow sundress, black hair in two braids down her back. "I missed you,” she said warmly.

“I missed you too, Emma. Where’s Louie?” Marinette asked gently, apparently finding her voice now that her daughter had arrived. The child twisted to point across the lobby and Adrien immediately followed her gesture. He instantly recognized Tom Dupain and Sabine Cheng from his visits to the bakery. The pair were on either side of the child, clinging to his hands as if supporting him between them. Adrien blinked, shocked that this was the same child he had seen barely two months ago. The child’s face was gaunt, his blue eyes hollow. He looked frail and pale like he wasn’t eating, and his muscle mass seemed to have dwindled noticeably. A pained smile crossed his lips as he spotted his mother and as they drew closer, Emma pulled away and dropped back to the ground, leaving their mother’s lap open to the boy.

“Hi, maman,” the little boy croaked, voice sounding scratchy and painful as he released Sabine’s hand and reached for his mother. He only released Tom when his hand was securely in his mother’s and she was pulling him gently into her lap.

“Hi, baby. How are you feeling today?” Marinette asked gently, smoothing a lock of blonde back from his face. The little boy smiled warmly in response.

“I’m okay, Mama. My legs hurt, though,” he admitted, rubbing absently at one of the limbs in question.

“I’ll talk to the doctor about getting you a better medicine for the pain, okay baby?”

“Okay, Mama,” the child nodded and leaned into his mother’s embrace for a moment before his blue gaze flicked towards Adrien. He offered a strained smile and a hand. “Hi, Uncle Adrien,” he greeted softly.

Adrien hesitated briefly before finally moving to the chair next to Marinette and taking the child’s hand in both of his with a strained smile. “Hey, little man. How are you doing?”

“M’okay,” Louis mumbled, tucking his head under his mother’s chin and offering the man a sleepy grin. “I missed you.”

“I missed you, too, Louie.”

“Why did you go away?” The boy asked, lifting his head slightly before deciding the task was too difficult and dropping it back to his mother’s chest. Adrien and Marinette shared a brief look.

“I had to work, bud. But I’m not going anywhere now, okay?” He offered, shooting a questioning look at Marinette. She nodded gratefully, using her free hand to run her fingers through her son’s mop of golden hair. It’s hard to say how long they sat after that. Tom and Sabine sat in the available chairs beside Marinette, while Emma eventually lost interest in the toys sitting in one corner of the room and crawled into Adrien’s lap, dropping off to sleep not long after Louis did. They didn’t speak much, but at some point, Marinette’s hand found its way into Adrien’s and they sat there, connected by a slightly too hard grasp and the children they had created together. Eventually, as night began to fall outside the large picture windows that dominated one wall, a nurse stepped into the room and looked around before heading their way.

“Adrien Agreste?” She asked, glancing at her clipboard and then looking up expectantly. Marinette nudged their joined hands against his shoulder, jolting him from sleep until he looked up groggily at the woman in confusion. “Are you Adrien Agreste?” The nurse repeated.

“What? Oh, yeah, that’s me.” Adrien offered, shaking his head and blinking rapidly in an effort to wake himself up.

“I have your test results. If you’d just follow me,” she offered, turning back towards the door she had entered from. Sabine rose immediately and moved to take Emma, and Adrien flashed her a grateful smile and mumbled a sincere thank you before rising and stretching languidly. Beside him, Marinette rose as well and handed Louis off to her father. He glanced at her questioningly and she gave a half shrug and slipped her hand into his.

“We’re doing this together, Adrien,” she whispered in a tone that broached no argument. He smiled gratefully and gave a brief nod.

“Together,” he confirmed, quietly relieved that he wouldn’t have to go back there alone. Adrien hated hospitals. The pair walked hand in hand to join the nurse and within minutes Marinette once again found herself in Doctor Pierce’s Office. The man in question smiled kindly and settled a folder down between them.

“The father, I presume?” He asked and the pair nodded, one more hesitantly than the other. “Excellent. I won’t waste your time then. I have good news and bad news.”

“Bad news first,” Adrien said immediately. Doctor Pierce nodded and flipped open the folder, pulling a sheet of paper from the top.

“Unfortunately, Adrien, you are _not_ a match,” he began apologetically. Across from him, the couple sagged in defeat and it was all Marinette could do to hold back the tears threatening to consume her.

“And the good news?” Adrien whispered around the lump in his throat.

“The good news is that while you are not a match, Adrien, we have found another match in the boy’s paternal grandfather.” He explained. Marinette and Adrien shared a look before turning to stare at the man.

“M-my father?” Adrien said incredulously.

“ _Gabriel Agreste_!?” Marinette squeaked at the same time. Before Doctor Pierce could respond, there was a sharp knock on the door and the young parents twisted, dread filling them as the door swung open to reveal none other than Gabriel Agreste smirking at them from the doorway. His eyes alit upon Marinette and the smile grew tenfold.

“Marinette, my dear, so _lovely_ to see you again.”


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hawkdaddy is a #DickWithACapitalD... #AlyanetteBonding happens... Emma is #SavageAF... and shit gets real on the #Adrienette Front. Nuff said

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These two never learn *world-heavy sigh*. Our two dorks are gonna kill me, I swear. Definite Maturity warning. Adrien and Marinette make #BadDecisions. #DrunkenShenanigans are a THING
> 
> Don't mind my hashtagging... I go through phases where I will #EVERYTHING and phases where I will #NOTHING and clearly I am in #EVERYTHING mode so... yeah. Enjoy the chapter and don't let my juvenile hashtagging habits deter you lmao
> 
> Also, I have a headcanon where Alya is a hashtagger so... let's just say I am channeling my inner Alya right now. Also Also, my Alya headcanon curses. A lot. Like... a lot, a lot. So does my Marinette Headcannon. I mean really, it's always the quiet ones. Like, unless I am with people I'm comfortable with I tend to be quiet as a mouse but I can curse like a sailor when I want to.
> 
> Is it sad that I have to go skim previous chapters to remember character backstories??? Cause I had to do that with Tara and Marinette's history

[Marinette's Outfit](https://i.pinimg.com/736x/cb/e1/95/cbe1950455575ed452f0ba5faecf6177--red-pumps-red-shoes.jpg)

[Emma's Outfit](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/88/ff/eb/88ffeba609ecb98cddaa44dc8709e2f5.png)

[Louie's Outfit](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/Yn0AAOSwjIVaYQBh/s-l300.jpg)

 

“So, let me get this straight…” Alya Lahiffe began, placing her elbows on the table and leaning forward so that her chin rested on her folded hands. It had been a day since Marinette had told Adrien almost everything and they had gone to the doctor. It had been a day since she had discovered that Adrien wasn’t a match for their son… but his father  _ was _ . The meeting had gone about as well as could be expected. Gabriel Agreste insisted on a paternity test before he did anything else, Adrien grumbling that his father could have simply done it out of the kindness of his heart regardless. They had argued briefly, but eventually Agreste Senior got his way and the Paternity test was sent off to the lab, due to return with results in three days time. To be fair, it would have needed to be done anyway, but still. She appreciated Adrien sort of supporting her against his father. In a way. With that done, Gabriel all but dragged his son out of the hospital without uttering another word to Marinette. 

He was just stalling for time, she knew. He had called her later that night and practically ordered her to come to the mansion (once again  _ with _ the kids) so they could discuss the situation they had found themselves in. Gabriel had the upper hand in this, and that didn’t sit well with Marinette. Unfortunately, there was nothing she could do about it. She would be forced to do whatever he wanted if she had any hope of saving her boy. Unable to talk to Adrien, she had naturally gone to the one source she was absolutely certain she could trust. Her best friend. Which brought them to today, sitting in their favorite cafe, half-eaten sandwiches and drinks forgotten on the table.

“The guy you slept with seven years ago? That was Adrien,” Alya continued slowly, arching a brow.

“Yes,” she confirmed, even though she was sure the question was more rhetorical than anything else.

“And for the last six years-seven if you count conception to birth-”

“Which I do,” Marinette interrupted helpfully.

“Okay, so seven years then. For the last seven years, you’ve kept the twins existence from him...”

“That is correct,” the ravenette agreed.

“...because crazy Papa Agreste has some weird vendetta against you and the kids and threatened to take them if you so much as breathed a word of any of this to Adrien?” She finished, arching her other perfectly shaped brow so that they both hovered near her hairline. “Did I forget anything?”

“I mean, he also tried to get me to abort them on multiple occasions and when that didn’t work he tried to have me put them up for adoption with some seedy American adoption agency but yeah, that about covers it, Alys,” Marinette sighed and lifted her drink to her lips. After she had barely slept again last night, she had switched back to coffee. She was so exhausted, tea just wouldn’t cut it. Not right now. So, she had gotten a large coffee with two creams and a sugar and the bitter taste was enough of a jolt to her system that she wasn’t falling asleep at the table. That was really all she could ask for at this point. She knew if she didn’t sleep soon, she would get sick and the last thing Louis needed was for her to get sick right now. 

Speaking of Louis, she glanced at the time and relaxed. She still had a few hours before she was due to pick him up. After learning what was wrong with him, she had pulled him out of school. Emma wasn’t too pleased that she still had to go to school, but she hadn’t put up too much of a fuss. For now, her parents had offered to watch him during the day but she knew it was hard on them. Being so sick, Louis required near constant supervision which meant that only one of her parents could work down in the bakery at a time. It meant they had to bring on a temp and while they were in no way hurting for money, the extra financial strain could prove hard on them as time wore on. Growing up, her parents had preferred to keep the business strictly based. Marinette had worked there during her school years from time to time, and her cousins Bridgette, Mei Ling, and Feng Mian had worked a few summers when they had come from China to visit, but mostly it was just her parents. When Marinette started University and was too busy to help out, they reluctantly hired a few temps to help out around busier seasons such as around Christmas time, but that was about it and they rarely employed anyone outside of the family for more than a few months at a time.

“What a fucking douchebag! Where the hell does he get off telling you to abort my babies!?” The redhead exploded suddenly, jolting the young woman back to the here and now.

“Alya, calm down, you’re drawing attention to yourself,” Marinette pleaded, shifting lower in her seat as several of the other patrons shot disgruntled looks their way. Alya glanced at her, mouth open to make some sharp retort, but the words died when she saw how uncomfortable her friend looked she visibly deflated.

“Sorry… Shit though, Mare. Why didn’t you tell me sooner? I would have helped,” Alya pointed out gently. The young mother sighed, her shoulders sagging as she stared into the dark liquid filling her cup. She knew Alya would have done anything in her power to help out, but this was her problem and she hadn’t wanted to burden anyone else with it.

“Well, to be fair I didn’t even know you knew Adrien until recently.  I don’t know, I guess I thought I could handle Gabriel on my own. Now, though… I’m screwed, Alya. Gabriel Agreste isn’t just going to go through with the procedure. He’s going to want something in return,” she agonized softly. Her friend nodded sagely, not bothering to dispute that fact.

“You know what you have to do, right?” She prodded gently.

“What?” Marinette asked, already fearing her answer.

“You have to tell Adrien, Mare. He needs to know what his father has been doing,” Alya said gently, but Marinette was already shaking her head vehemently.

“No… no, I can’t! If I do that, Gabriel will refuse to help Louis! And Adrien already hates me, Alya. I kept his kids from him for seven years. You really think he’s going to want to hear that his father knew all along? He’ll think I’m lying to save face,” she insisted desperately. Across from her, Alya watched her minor panic attack with pity in her hazel eyes before finally lifting a placating hand.

“Okay, okay, Mari, it's okay. We don’t have to say anything right now,” she assured. “I won’t say anything to Adrien or Nino. That man can’t keep a secret to save his life anyway. When are you meeting with Gabriel Agreste?”

“Tonight at five. Adrien will apparently be at a photo shoot so… yeah,” she finished lamely. The redhead took a long drag from her own cup, hazel gaze distant for a few moments before refocusing on the ravenette across from her.

“Do you want me to go with you?”

“No. I appreciate it, Alya, but I need to take care of this myself,” she sighed. Smiling, her friend reached out and slid a hand over one of hers.

“For what it’s worth, I’m proud of you, Mari. What you did wasn’t ideal, and I can see where Adrien is coming from… Keeping the kids from him? That was a real shitty thing to do,” she began. Marinette winced, sinking lower in her seat as shame heated her face. She tried to move her hand back, but Alya flipped her hand over and gripped Marinette’s tightly until the raven-haired woman reluctantly lifted her gaze. “ _But_ you did what you had to do to protect yourself and your kids. You have always made them a priority and you raised them so well, despite being alone. Adrien will come around, Mare. I know he will. That boy is absolutely, head over heels crazy for you and those kids and pretty soon he’s going to realize that, dump the blonde bimbo, and romance the _shit_ out of you. What I’m trying to say here is _you_ _made the right choice_ and don’t you _ever_ think otherwise,” her friend emphasized confidently. Marinette gave her a watery smile, touched by the rare show of sentimentality her friend was displaying.

“Thanks, Alys. I appreciate that. But I wasn’t alone. I had you, and Nino, and my parents. And Tara. She’s been great through all of this,” she pointed out, an affectionate smile lighting up her face.

“True, you definitely had a great support system. But it was you making all the tough decisions and it’s because of you that those kids turned out so amazing. Louis is going to get what he needs, and he’s going to live a long life. You’re too determined to allow for any other scenario,” Alya teased, giving her hand another, lighter squeeze. Marinette squeezed back harder, tears pricking at her eyes.

“Thanks. I definitely needed to hear that.”

  
  
  


Five PM arrived much sooner than Marinette wanted, and it found her on the front steps of the Agreste Manor. She fidgeted with a hand mirror, checking her appearance for the umpteenth time before finally gathering the nerve to ring the doorbell. It was silly. She shouldn’t care about how she looked when going in front of Gabriel Agreste to plead her case, but she did. This was Louis’ life hanging in the balance, after all. For what it was worth, she felt her appearance was flawless. Her hair was pulled into a bun, a few wispy curls framing her heart-shaped face. Her bluebell eyes were painted with smokey eyeliner, mascara volumizing her thick, dark lashes. Her lips were painted a deep red that stood out against her fair, freckled skin and matched flawlessly with her outfit. She had stopped by the apartment to shower and change before picking up Louis and Emma and heading for the Agreste Mansion. She wore a form-fitting black dress that fell just past her knees, bright red high-heeled pumps, and a red peacoat with black buttons and a black, white polka-dotted bow beneath the collar over her left breast. Black teardrop earrings dangled from her ears.

She had decided to dress the kids up as well since she was being forced to bring them along. Emma looked absolutely adorable in a sleeveless dress that was predominantly white with a red sash and a black damask design on the full skirt. The dress fell just past her knees and was paired with a pair of shiny black dress shoes with tiny red bows just above the toes. Louis cleaned up just as nicely, wearing a formal black vest and slacks over black dress shoes and a crimson long-sleeved button-up. The look was completed with a black bowtie and hat. All three outfits were of Marinette’s own design and had been featured in one of Tara’s fashion shows the previous season, so they were still relatively up-to-date. Since Tara wasn’t putting anything new out this year in preparation of her upcoming move, the outfits were from her most recent line. She was adjusting one of Emma’s long, dark curls when the door swung open to reveal Nathalie. The woman’s mouth was half open as if she were about to speak, but she faltered when she caught sight of the children. The change was almost imperceptible, but Marinette swore her eyes softened and a tiny smile curved her lips.

“They look so much like him,” she said quietly, her blue gaze flicking to Marinette’s before she straightened herself and returned to business mode. “If you’ll follow me, Monsieur Agreste is waiting in his office.”

Marinette followed Nathalie into the impressive foyer of the Agreste Mansion, her kids flanking her. As they reached the staircase, she lifted Louis effortlessly onto his hip. The Doctor had been adamant that he wasn’t to strain himself. The four ascended the stairs, taking a right at the first landing and stopping outside the office of Gabriel Agreste. Nathalie knocked briefly, opening the door when a muffled voice granted them entrance. The door was opened to reveal the older Agreste sitting at his desk, an unreadable expression adorning his face. She hesitated, unwilling to cross the threshold until annoyance began flickering across the man’s face and he finally spoke. “Do  _ come in _ and shut the door behind you, Miss Dupain-Cheng. I haven’t got all day,” he grouched. Beside her, Emma flinched and tightened her hold on her mother’s skirt, while Louis buried his face in his mother’s chest and tightened his hold around her neck.

“It’s okay Emma, Louis,” she soothed gently, freeing one hand to place around her daughter’s shoulders. Gabriel’s mouth twisted into a grimace of disapproval but he didn’t say anything until they had taken a seat and Nathalie had closed the door behind them.

“You’re coddling them, Miss Dupain-Cheng. Children need to learn how to interact with adults from a young age,” he said, frowning slightly.

“You have  _ no right _ to question my parenting methods, Gabriel,” Marinette snapped back, running a comforting hand through her son’s hair. He leaned into the touch, relaxing as his mother glared daggers at the man over his head. Gabriel Agreste debated arguing, but ultimately decided against it and moved on.

“Introduce me to my grandchildren, Miss Dupain-Cheng,” he ordered. A muscle twitched below one of her eyes in response to the order but she did as he requested. She, too, knew how to pick her battles.

“Emilia Rose, can you say hi to your grandfather please. Louis, you too,” she murmured softly. Emma glanced up, surprise flickering into her eyes.

“Maman, is he Uncle Adrien’s Papa?” The child asked, confusion evident on her face as she flicked her Veridian gaze between her mother and the man on the other side of the desk.

“Yes, baby,” she confirmed, reaching out to tuck a stray curl before the child’s ear. Like Louis, the girl immediately leaned into the touch. Marinette, like her parents before her, had always been a very hands on mother. She had never believed in allowing children to cry themselves to sleep. She personally felt it cruel to do that to a child who didn’t understand and she never wanted her children to develop anything akin to abandonment issues.

“I thought you said he was a bad person,” Emma pointed out, a frown marring her pretty face. Across the table, Gabriel arched a brow at the child’s candor and it was all the young mother could do not to grin.

“He is a very bad person, Emma, but he is your grandfather and I asked you to say hi,” Marinette agreed honestly. She shot a surreptitious glance at the man in question and watched the other brow inch up. She was fairly certain that was the most emotion she had ever seen on his face. Gabriel Agreste was the master of cool indifference. Emma looked between her mother and her grandfather, conflict twisting her cherub face.

“Hi,” she finally uttered flatly, lips pulling down in obvious displeasure.

“Hello. Emma was it?” Gabriel greeted formally. The displeasure on the child’s face strengthened and her nose wrinkled as if she had just smelled something gross.

“You can call me Emilia. Only my family and friends call me Emma,” she stated. Really, at this point, it was all Marinette could do not to laugh outright. Emma could be so sweet with people she liked, but around people she didn’t like or trust? The child could be straight up savage. Really, she could be glad the child was going easy on the jackass. They still needed him to help Louis, but watching him get sassed by a six-year-old was priceless and she almost wished she could get away with videotaping the verbal beatdown that was no doubt about to go down.

“I am your family, Emma,” he pointed out dryly.

“My mommy says just because you're blood, doesn’t make you family. You have to earn that right,” the child snipped, fully turning up her nose now.

“Is that so?” Gabriel shot the woman in question a hard look. Marinette simply shrugged, unapologetic.

“Yup. You’re mean to my mommy and Uncle Adrien. So you may call me Emilia,” the child confirmed, green eyes frosty as she turned them back to her grandfather.

“Emilia, then,” the man agreed, apparently choosing not to touch on the subject of him being mean before his flinty gaze shifted. “And you, boy? Introduce yourself,” Gabriel commanded, turning expectantly to the child clinging to his mother’s neck. Louis buried his head deeper in his mother’s neck, his grip vice-like as the man’s attention was turned onto him.

“Louie, can you say hi, please?” Marinette urged gently, trying to pry the child loose. He shook his head without lifting it.

“Your children aren’t very disciplined,” Gabriel noted, perhaps a touch smugly. Across from him, the woman and her daughter both stiffened. Emma opened her mouth, no doubt ready to defend her mother and brother, but stopped when a hand touched her shoulder. She glanced at her mother, mouth snapping shut. Marinette flashed her a reassuring smile before turning to gaze at the man before them. Her gaze was as coolly indifferent as one of Gabriel’s best and the man blanched before schooling his features.

“That’s the difference between you and me, Agreste. You discipline. I  _ love _ . I will not push Louis into doing something he is uncomfortable with and neither will you. You are not his father; Adrien is. Now, I did not come here to be lectured on my parenting style. Fact of the matter is, we will never agree on the proper way to raise a child. Now, you and I both know that you are the only thing standing between Louis and treatment. You want something in return. Get on with it or stop wasting our time.” Marinette spoke with an air of authority the man had never heard in her voice before and it surprised him. He had known for a while the Dupain-Cheng girl wasn’t the meek, wilting willow he had originally assumed her to be but he hadn’t expected the raw passion she exhibited when protecting her children. It was a trait he grudgingly had to admire.

“Fair enough. I wish to speak privately now. Nathalie will watch the children while we speak… if that is agreeable with you?” Gabriel asked. Marinette blinked, briefly taken off guard by the fact that he was actually asking, before giving a brief nod. If there was anyone here she trusted with her children (aside from Adrien) it would be Nathalie. Gabriel pressed a button and spoke briefly into an intercom and moments later Nathalie appeared. Marinette rose, carefully detangling herself from her son’s arms.

“Louie, go with Emma and Nathalie,” she said gently. Blue eyes wide, the child looked between his mother and the woman before reluctantly reaching for her. Nathalie hesitated, eyes wide and uncertain before finally taking the child in her own arms and leading Emma from the room. The door shut behind them and the ravenette slid back into her chair. “Now, what exactly do you want from me, Monsieur Agreste?”

Gabriel Agreste slid his desk phone over to her expectantly, a brow arched. “I want you to disappear, Miss Dupain-Cheng.”

  
  


Tara Lacrosse glanced around her apartment, a sad smile curving her lips. At this point, most of her stuff had already been packed away in preparation for her move. In two months time, she would be returning to America. The thought was bittersweet. On the one hand, Tara missed her home terribly. She missed everything about it, from the greasy American Cuisine to the poorly directed Chick Flicks. America was her home, where she had been born and raised and where she had spent most of her formative years. On the other hand, she had come to adore France in the last few years. The people, the culture, the food, the architecture, and especially the fashion industry. New York was wonderfully diverse in its fashion but it didn’t hold a candle to the sheer beauty and elegance of the French Fashion Industry. She would miss it. A lot. Mostly, she would miss her apprentice.

When Tara had first met Marinette, the girl had only recently discovered she was pregnant. The girl never went into details but it was obvious the father wasn’t in the picture. Equally obvious was the fact that the poor girl was absolutely terrified. It was sad, really. Tara knew immediately that Marinette Dupain-Cheng had that special spark in the fashion industry that you don’t see often these days. She had a special eye for design, the fresh perspective of the new generation, and she had more creativity in her little toe than most people have in their entire bodies. It was immediately apparent that she was destined to take the fashion world by storm and Tara had desperately wanted to be the one to guide her on that journey. Asking her to join her in America had been a bit impulsive and trigger-happy, she knew. A young woman, about to enter single motherhood, would be ridiculously stupid to leave her support system on a whim and Marinette was anything but stupid. Tara greatly respected her for saying no. It had stung a bit at first, but she eventually came to understand what she had been asking the other woman.

It was three years later that she finally moved to Paris. She hadn’t been there long and had a hankering from some genuinely good pastries and one of her clients had sworn up and down that the Dupain-Cheng Boulangerie-Patisserie was the best of the best in all of France. At the time, the name had seemed familiar but it wasn’t until she stepped inside that she realized why. Imagine her surprise when she stepped inside and saw Marinette Dupain-Cheng standing behind the counter, a blonde haired toddler on her hip, while a second, darker haired toddler was perched on the counter in front of her. The two toddlers-and Marinette by default-had been covered in chocolate and cookie crumbs, but the smile on her face had been absolutely radiant and she immediately knew this wasn’t the same scared, shy university student she had met three years previously. The woman before her had exuded happiness, contentment, and security. Truly, being a mother had only changed her for the better.

Marinette had been just as surprised to see her as Tara had been to see her, but they talked and eventually, she convinced her to meet for coffee. One meeting turned into two, and then three, and before long they were meeting twice a week for coffee. They became friends. Tara described the last three years that she had spent in America, describing in great detail the American fashion industry which Marinette had been eager to compare with the French fashion industry she was more familiar with. She, in turn, told Tara about the twins and raising them. She admitted that she had dropped out of school, but that she hoped to go back when the children were a bit older. It took forever to make her admit she still dreamed of fashion; longer still to convince her to bring her sketchbooks along to one of their coffee meetings. Eventually, she convinced her to return to school and work under her as an apprentice, and in return, she would help out with the kids financially where needed, be it childcare or schooling or anything else Marinette could need.

Somewhere along the way, Tara fell in love with Marinette and her family. She came to think of Marinette as a daughter, and the children as her grandchildren. She, who had never had much of a family, had surprisingly found one in her assistant. Naturally, when she decided it was time to move back to New York, she wanted to bring the young woman and her children with but she understood when she refused. Uprooting her family wasn’t a decision to be taken lightly so Tara had done the next best thing and tried to get her an in with  _ Gabriel _ Fashion House. She knew Gabriel Agreste was a hard man to work under, but she knew Marinette could flourish under his tutelage and besides, his son was set to take over the company when old Gabe retired and he would be a kind, considerate boss. For all his gruffness, Gabriel Agreste had failed to ruin his son. 

Adrien was a good boy; one Tara had come to hold in high and very affectionate regards after working with him for a few years. She almost viewed him as a son and could you blame her if a part of her wanted to play matchmaker between Marinette and Adrien? She felt their personalities would work well together, and she knew Marinette would be a much better choice for him than the blonde who she didn’t even want to mention. Besides, Adrien was the type of man who would immediately accept a significant other’s children as his own and Emma and Louis deserved the best in a father. Yes, Tara Lacrosse strongly felt she had done a good job when she had set those two up to work together. Marinette would get a promising career in fashion, and maybe even a husband and father for her kids. It was a win-win. Sitting on her couch, the woman smiled contentedly, her sadness over leaving dissipating. If nothing else, her little makeshift family here ensured her a reason to visit often. Birthdays, holidays, a certain upcoming wedding she hoped to help design a wedding dress for. Yes, just because she was leaving France didn’t mean she couldn’t come back and- 

The sound of her phone ringing disrupted her train of thought, startling Bartholomew who was curled up on the cushion beside her. The fat orange tabby jolted, giving an annoyed hiss in the direction of the offending device, before rising and stalking off to find somewhere quieter to nap. The woman smiled affectionately, watching the twitching tail disappear into the bedroom before scooping up her phone and glancing at the caller ID. She blinked, bemused, when the name  _ Gabriel Agreste, Office _ flashed across her lock screen. She was under the impression the old geezer didn’t like her. Shrugging to herself, she hit the green button that answered the call and lifted the device to her ear. “Monsieur Agreste, how are you?” She greeted politely. There was a beat of silence before anyone responded.

“Uh a-actually it’s m-me, Tara,” a quiet voice said over the line. Tara perked up immediately.

“Marinette, my dear! What a pleasant surprise,” she greeted far more jovially than she had spoken before. “To what do I owe this pleasure?”

“W-well, I was wondering if you were still looking for an apprentice in America? I- I would like to be considered for the position,” Marinette said, a note of nervousness tingeing her voice. The pink haired woman sat up abruptly, surprise pulsing through her.

“This is a surprise… is everything alright, Marinette?” She asked gently.

“Everything is fine.  _ Gabriel _ isn’t the place for me. I would like to further my career… under you,” the woman on the other line spoke with wavering confidence and an obvious lack of conviction and it worried Tara. This wasn’t the Marinette she knew and adored.

“You know you will always have a position with my company, Marinette.  _ Madame Lacrosse _ Fashion House would love to have you back,” the older woman said carefully. “Why don’t you come by tomorrow and we can discuss it more?”

“That would be great, Tara. I’ll talk to you tomorrow,” Marinette said, relief evident in her voice. The young woman signed off not long after and Tara set her phone on the coffee table with a frown. Something wasn’t right, and she planned on getting to the bottom of this tomorrow if it was the last thing she did.

  
  
  


Marinette replaced the receiver, ignoring the way her stomach twisted into knots. She hated lying to Tara, hated making her think everything was fine when it wasn’t. But Tara Lacrosse couldn’t protect her from Gabriel Agreste and if this was the necessary course of action to ensure her son got the treatment he needed, then so be it. Turning her gaze back to the man in question, she scowled. “It’s done,” she said coldly. Gabriel smirked and slid a piece of paper across the desk.

“Excellent. Just sign along the dotted line and we are in business, Miss Dupain-Cheng,” he agreed. Marinette had already read over the contract before calling her former-make that  _ current _ -boss. Basically, it stated that Marinette was to move to a country of her choosing outside of the UK and cease all contact with Adrien Agreste. In return, Gabriel Agreste would submit to any medical procedures required to help her son recover. If the contract was broken, he would pretty much be permitted to sue her for everything she owned. She would be utterly bankrupt, her kids would probably get taken away… it was a shitty deal but she would take what she could get. The contract stipulated that she had six months to move. She planned to move in two when Tara Lacrosse returned to America. It wasn’t ideal, but for her son, she was willing to do anything. She did as she was told and signed along the dotted line.

“There. Are we done? I need to go home and pack,” Marinette snapped sarcastically. Across from her, the man smirked looking far too pleased with himself.

“Yes, I do believe that is all I need from you, Miss Dupain-Cheng. I will have my Lawyer send you a copy of our agreement. It was truly a pleasure doing business with you,” he all but purred. Smug bastard. Marinette sent him a scathing look before rising and stalking out of the office. She found Nathalie and the children in the foyer. Unaware she was being watched, the older woman’s face had morphed from severe indifference to gentle warmth as she watched the two children play on the floor with Plagg. The black cat had apparently come out of hiding and was playfully batting at a piece of string Emma had found (or more accurately pulled from her dress) like he was a young kitten.

“Nathalie,” Marinette said, jolting the older woman. Her eyes widened at having been caught looking anything less than professional, but the kind smile Marinette offered her seemed to relax her.

“Miss Dupain-Cheng, are you ready to go? I can have a car brought around to take you home,” she said quietly.

“That would be much appreciated, thank you. I wanted to ask… you view Adrien as a son, don’t you?” Marinette frowned as the woman’s eyes widened and her skin paled, wondering if her hunch was wrong.

“Y-yes, I suppose in a way, I do.”

“And you never approved of those things Gabriel was doing… did you?”

“No, Miss Dupain-Cheng. I am sorry I played any part in that man’s schemes. Adrien deserved a choice in whether he knew his children or not,” the older woman sighed regretfully.

“The children and I are leaving France with Madame Lacrosse at the end of December. I- I know it’s horrible, and it’s a horrible thing to ask you to do… but if I wrote a letter to Adrien, would you deliver it to him? I can’t break his heart in person. Not again. He’ll convince me to stay and I have to think about the kids,” she whispered, shooting a glance towards the twins. They weren’t paying attention, thankfully too distracted by the cat.

“Yes, Marinette. I can do that,” Nathalie agreed after a long pause. The raven-haired woman shot her a grateful smile.

“Thank you and… if you’re ever in New York, look us up? For what it’s worth, I think you have the makings of a pretty good aunt to these two,” she said, a faint smile gracing her lips. Nathalie stared at her, stunned, as she called the children to her and left the way she had entered. When the door closed on them, the woman’s lips curved into a soft, affectionate smile. She was now more certain than ever that Gabriel Agreste had been wrong about Marinette Dupain-Cheng. She would have made Adrien a fantastic wife.

  
  
  


Marinette sighed, glancing at the clock on her cable box. It was inching past midnight and sleep was elusive as always. Emma and Louis had thankfully gone down hours before and thanks to his newly prescribed pain medication, Louis hadn’t awoken in pain so far like he had been doing the last few nights. It was a welcome reprieve. At this point, she was half tempted to take some medicine herself. She needed to sleep. At the same time, she was afraid taking sleep medicine would knock her out and she would miss it if Louis woke up in pain. Guess she would have to try sleeping the  _ normal _ way. Releasing another world-weary sigh, the young woman freed one hand from the fluffy blanket she had cocooned herself in and reached for the remote, but a knock on the door stilled her movements. She glanced towards the door, perplexed until another knock spurred her into movement.

Getting up, she kept the blanket wrapped around her shoulders like a cape and padded towards the door, going up on her tiptoes to see through the peephole. A moment later, she was opening the door to find Adrien Agreste on her doormat. She blinked, dumbfounded at finding him  _ here _ on her  _ doormat _ . The man in question looked positively rumbled, wearing a crinkled white tee-shirt and blue and silver plaid pajama bottoms. His hair was mussed as if he had been tossing and turning all night but his eyes, those vibrant green eyes she loved, they were bright and alert and  _ incredibly _ uncomfortable looking right now. Adrien lifted a hand and rubbed the back of his neck, a nervous tick of his that she had noticed fairly quickly, and looked down to avoid her gaze.

“Um, sorry. This was a bad idea. It’s late and I probably woke you up and-”

“You didn’t,” she interrupted, drawing his gaze back to hers fleetingly.

“Um… what?” He asked, confused. She smiled faintly in amusement.

“You didn’t wake me up, Adrien. I couldn’t sleep,” she explained.

“Oh. Okay well, that’s goo. I mean! Not good. Bad. It’s bad you can’t sleep but good I didn’t wake you and  _ ohgodimjustgonnagodienow _ ,” he said, the last part a rush of words that she could hardly make out but which strangely reminded her of her youth when she was a perpetual bundle of nerves ninety percent of the time. He turned away but stopped when she reached out and caught his wrist.

“Wait. Um, you’re here now so do you maybe want to come inside?” She offered, releasing his wrist with an awkward chuckle. Adrien looked surprised at the offer but finally nodded with a relieved grin.

“Yes, I would very much like that, thank you,” he said, stepping inside when she moved to give him room. She shut and locked the door behind him, then shifted awkwardly, uncertain what to do now that they were here in her apartment.

“So, I was going to crack open a cheap bottle of wine or two and drink myself into a stupor to hopefully fall asleep and it’s probably way crappier than the wine you’re used to but would you maybe like to join me? I don’t like to drink alone,” she suddenly blurted, well aware that she was babbling but unable to prevent the word vomit. At least it was rather mild today. The way this man tended to discombobulate her, it was really anyone’s guess what might come out of her mouth at this point. Adrien seemed unaffected by her word vomit, however, and he nodded gratefully.

“Drinking ourselves into a stupor seems like a very un-adult thing to do, but I don’t feel like adulting right now anyway so after you, Princess,” he said, waving gallantly for her to lead the way. Marinette froze, blinking at him owlishly.

“Princess?” She asked hesitantly. He nodded, looking confused by her reaction.

“I’ve called you Princess before,” he pointed out.

“Once… and I thought you hated me now,” she retorted. Adrien hesitated for a long moment, seeming to mull carefully over his words before he spoke.

“I don’t  _ hate _ you, Marinette. I’m really, really mad at you but I could never  _ hate _ you,” he admitted quietly, rubbing his neck once again. Marinette stared at him, surprised and relieved because Adrien would come to hate her very, very soon and she really didn’t want him to hate her any earlier than strictly necessary. Oye, she really needed that drink. She was already getting emotional, tears pricking at the corners of her eyes, and if she was going to break down and sob she’d rather be shitfaced drunk so she didn’t remember it.

“Let’s get drunk and not adult today, Adrien,” she suggested with a faint smile, hurrying into the kitchen with Adrien at her heels. Marinette pulled out two wine glasses and a bottle of cheap red wine, filling both glasses to almost the rim before handing one off to man beside her. He arched a brow at her, amusement dancing in his green eyes as he eyed the level of wine in his glass before glancing back at her.

“That seems a bit extra,” he teased lightly.

“You’re the one who wants to get shitfaced drunk,” she mumbled defensively lifting her goblet to her lips. Beside her, Adrien snorted out a laugh before grinning widely.

“No one said anything about getting shitfaced. I said ‘let’s drink ourselves into a stupor’, Princess,” he chuckled. Marinette blushed, face darkening to a shade similar to the wine in her glass.

“Right… I must have said that in my head. Just ignore me. I’m not drunk enough for this shit,” she mumbled into her wine. Across from her, Adrien only grinned widely as he lifted his own glass to his mouth. He took a sip, face immediately scrunching up into a comical look of disgust that hat the young woman suppressing a fit of giggles.

“Good god, woman, this is  _ terrible _ !” Adrien choked, staring at her incredulously as she took a long drag from her own cup. She shrugged unaffected.

“We can’t all have such refined tastes, Mr. Agreste,” she teased.

“I thought I told you not to call me that,” he deadpanned.

“I thought I told you not to tell me how to live my life,” she quipped in return, grabbing the bottle and heading for the living room. Adrien rolled his eyes and following her, the two settling on opposite ends of the couch as they sipped their, admittedly disgusting, wine. By the time they were polishing off the first bottle, the taste of the wine was pretty much forgotten and Marinette readily hopped up to get a new bottle. She stumbled slightly, already a lot tipsier than she had previously thought. Adrien shifted forward, ready to catch her if she fell, but she managed to regain her balance and wave him off with a goofy smile.

“I’m okay, stop being such a hero, Agreste,” she teased, slurring her words only slightly. She was really proud of that. Normally when she got to this level she could barely talk straight. Adrien sat back down, mildly amused by her antics, and watched her slip off to the kitchen. He was beginning to realize that Marinette was something of a lightweight but it was endearing and stopping her from imbibing in another bottle seemed much too adult to actually do. Marinette returned moments later with a second bottle and dropped clumsily down on the couch beside him, much closer than before. When the bottle proved too difficult to open, she pouted and held it out towards him, shaking it imploringly.

“Can I help you?” Adrien teased, taking a sip of his dwindling glass. Her pout deepened with dissatisfaction at his response.

“ _ Adrieeeeeeen _ ,” she whined, shaking the bottle towards him again.

“What’s the magic word, Princess?” He prodded teasingly. Her pout morphed into a scowl that didn’t seem at all genuine but was endearingly cute nonetheless.

“Really? What are you, five?” She groused grumpily. His grin was full on mischievous little boy.

“Told ya I wasn’t adulting today, Mari. Come on,  _ what’s the magic word, _ lovebug?” He leaned into her heavily, batting his eyes innocently, perhaps a bit tipsier than he had originally thought but you know what? #yolobitches

“Did you just call me  _ lovebug _ !?”

“Yes, yes I did. Now, say the magic word or no wine for you,” Adrien singsonged. Marinette pouted once more, arms crossing petulantly.

“ _ Pleeeeeaaase _ open my wine, Monsieur Agreste,” she said imploringly, eyes widening to affect the puppy dog look. Adrien blinked, momently distracted by the incredible blueness of her eyes before mutely opening the bottle and handing the bottle back to her. Marinette squealed, pleased, and poured herself a new glass. At some point, they turned on the television, flipping through movie channels until they settled on one of her favorite American chick flicks,  _ The Ugly Truth _ . The movie was hilarious, with a cute love-hate romance plot. Love-hate romance stories were Marinette’s guilty pleasure. The second bottle was almost gone by the time the movie ended, and a third was cracked open by the time  _ 50 Shades of Gray _ was started. Marinette was very, very drunk at this point but she didn’t care. She felt floaty and carefree and happy and she wasn’t worried about her problems right now and it was goddamn refreshing.

She leaned heavily into Adrien now, the space they had started out with completely evaporated as she cuddled into his stomach. They were both apparently snuggly, affectionate drunks. The pair stared at the screen, Marinette with a dopey grin while Adrien looked thoroughly disturbed by what was happening on the screen. He was a hopeless romantic at heart, after all, and couldn’t understand why Christian Gray didn’t just admit what was oh-so-obvious to those watching the movies or reading the books. Really, it was painfully clear that he fell in love with her the moment he set eyes on her. He glanced at the woman who was gradually inching further and further into his lap, not that he minded. Marinette was soft and warm and she smelled like strawberries and vanilla. She smelled the same as she tasted. He liked how she smelled.

“This movie is disturbing,” he slurred (I can’t drunk write okay? Just imagine he’s talking like he’s drunk).

“Your face is disturbing,” she slurred back. Adrien pulled back, offense flickering in his eyes as he blinked down at her. He was drunk. Sarcasm had lost pretty much all meaning at this point so he was a bit worried that Marinette was serious.

“I thought my face was pretty,” he mumbled dejectedly. Marinette shifted closer and propped her chin on his chest, a sweet smile on her face.

“Your everything is pretty. You’re the prettiest human I ever met,” she admitted, smiling crookedly.

“Nu-uh, you’re prettier. You have the prettiest eyes,” Adrien immediately denied.

“You have the prettiest  _ face _ ,” Marinette retorted with a smirk.

“Well… you have the prettiest mouth so  _ take that _ ,” Adrien insisted. Marinette lifted herself slightly, arms caging his hips as she brought their faces level with one another. There was a perplexed, somewhat insecure look on her face. Adrien thought she looked adorable, the way her nose wrinkled and the little crease that appeared between her eyebrows when she frowned like that.

“You really think I have the prettiest mouth?” She asked quietly. Adrien glanced down at her mouth. Her lips had been scrubbed clean of the lipstick worn earlier and were a natural, rosy pink color. They were shiny, no doubt from licking them nervously as she was wont to do, and were parted slightly as she awaited his answer. His gaze drifted back to hers as he propped himself up on his elbows, bringing him just a tiny bit closer.

“Yes, I do,” he breathed quietly. A delicate shiver ran down her spine as her eyes darted swiftly between his mouth and his eyes.

“Prettier than Chloe’s mouth?” She asked, just because she had to make sure, naturally.

“A million times prettier,” Adrien confirmed.

“Do you want to kiss me?” Marinette asked.

“Very much so,” Adrien confirmed, his own tongue darting out to swipe across his lips. Marinette followed the movement with her eyes and inched closer, breath hitching nervously.

“Wh-what’s stopping you then?” She asked, a hint of shyness entering her tone. Adrien stared at her for a long moment, seeming equally surprised and conflicted, and she started to pull back as her insecurities pushed through her drunken stupor, but Adrien didn’t give her the chance to go far. His hand cupped the nape of her neck, and between one breath and the next he was pulling her down and crashing their lips together. Their last kiss had been soft, sweet. It had been adoration, appreciation, and the knowledge that it could and probably would be their last. This kiss held no such inhibitions or fears. This kiss was pure heat and lust. It was sloppy and drunken and uncoordinated. It was pawing hands and nipping teeth. Marinette all but purred when her pajama shirt was shucked, followed by his shirt, and her bra.

They didn’t think or worry about the consequences they might face when the sun came up. They didn’t pause to think about whether they would regret it in the morning. Weeks of pent-up sexual frustration, hurt, anger and too much bad wine culminated in an explosion of need and lust. Their mouths met again in a searing kiss as Adrien’s hands swept over her body, branding her with his heated touch. His long, lean fingers danced over her chest, her abdomen, dipped below her waistband. They broke apart, gasping for breath, and Marinette blindly gestured in the direction of her room. “Emma. Louis. Can’t see us,” she mumbled, words broken up by kisses. Adrien pulled back slightly.

“Bedroom?” He asked, uncertain whether she was trying to deny what they were about to do or giving him actual instructions on where to take her.

“Yes.  _ Now _ ,” she agreed, placing another heated kiss on his collarbone. She giggled as Adrien suddenly scooped her up, his mouth muffling the too loud sound as he carried her towards the bedroom. He was apparently much steadier on his feet than she was when drunk. The door shut behind them with a slightly too loud bang. Marinette kissed him again, hand dipping beneath his waistband to graze her fingers lightly over his member. Adrien gasped into her mouth, eyes darkening with lust as he backed her further into the bedroom. When they reached its edge, the pair tumbled into bed knowing they would likely have many, many regrets in the morning… and honestly not giving a damn.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so when I fully finish this story, I think I am going to write the more detailed sex scenes in a separate thread. I won't claim it will be GREAT as this will be my intro into writing actual smut and I am a virgin so I have no experience to go off... but I do want to expand on my writing and writing smut is something I have wanted to try writing for a while. Let there be book porn and all that. So, yeah. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy the chapter and I am pleased to announce I have the next few planned out so hopefully, we will be posting these relatively rapid-fire again like the early days. I can't believe how much I've written in only three months though. Like holy shit, I started this in February, guys! Anyway, as usual comment, comment, comment. I love hearing from new and old readers alike!


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adrienette Fluff is a thing that happens. Minor Chlodrien drama but then, what else is new?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, full disclosure... the scene where they're watching the show in this chapter was written all the way back in February about nine days after I started writing this story. I was beginning to think I would never find a place to slide it in and it was originally supposed to happen after they got together but this seemed like a good place for it so I tweaked the scene and now there's fluff. So much fluff.

The first thing Marinette Dupain-Cheng became aware of when she woke the next morning was the splitting pain that ripped through her skull. It felt like someone had taken dozens of jagged glass shards and unceremoniously shoved them into her brain. A soft whimper escaped her dry lips and she burrowed deeper into her blankets as if she could somehow escape the agony that way. The second thing she became aware of was the warm, heavy weight that was pressed against her back and draped over her waist. Her eyes fluttered open blearily as she wondered just when she had acquired a human body pillow, and then drifted shut once more as she started to float back to sleep. The weight around her waist tightened briefly, and she groaned in protest as Adrien nuzzled his face into her neck, swatting him away half-heartedly. The blonde mumbled something in response that she couldn’t quite make out and her mouth opened to tell him to shut up so she could sleep when she paused.

Slowly, the gears in her splintered brain began to turn. Adrien Agreste was in her bed. They had gotten drunk last night and slept together. They were currently naked. It was  _ morning _ and- a knock sounded at the door. The ravenette’s gaze flicked to the door and she held her breath, hoping and praying that she was just hearing things when another, more insistent knock sounded and the breath wheezed out of the woman’s lungs in a panicked squeak. No. No no no.  _ Nonononono this can’t be happening! _ She silently lamented, shooting upright and all but falling out of the bed. Turning, she found Adrien sprawled in the bed, cocooned in blankets and most undoubtedly wearing  _ nothing _ under the aforementioned blanket.  _ Shit _ . Reaching out, she slapped a hand none too gently against his bare shoulder, trying to rouse the blonde. He groaned and rolled away from her, trying to fend her off as she swatted at him again.

“Get  _ up _ , Adrien!” She hissed quietly, punctuating her words with another round of smacks that were getting progressively harder and more persistent. The door handle rattled followed by another knock and she was more than a little relieved that they had the forethought to lock the door last night. Running out of options, and with a sense of urgency hanging in the air and threatening to clog her senses, Marinette grabbed her pillow and whacked the blonde soundly in the face three times as he weakly tried to defend himself. His eyes finally popped open to scowl at her and he opened his mouth to speak but Marinette was faster. She lunged across the bed, slapping her hand over his mouth as another knock sounded and then-

“Mommy? Mommy, are you awake yet?” Emma called through the door. Marinette lifted a finger to her lips, glaring down at the blonde and  _ daring _ him to make a sound as she called out a response.

“W-what is it, Emma?” She asked, wincing at the way her voice broke. Emma didn’t seem to notice, or if she did she didn’t comment on it.

“I’m hungry,” she said, voice muffled through the door.

“I- I’ll be out in a moment, baby. Mama needs to get dressed,” she called back. There was a beat of silence before the child responded.

“Kay~” She chirped, and a moment later her retreating footsteps sounded and Marinette finally allowed the tension to leave her body as her hand slid from over the model’s mouth. The blonde sat up slowly, wincing and pressing a hand to his head, but somehow managed a very cat-like smirk as he glanced at her from beneath long, blonde lashes.

“Way to make a guy feel like your dirty little secret, Princess,” he said with a lopsided grin. Marinette stared at him long and hard before giving his face one last whack with the pillow… for good measure.

“This isn’t a joke, Adrien. My  _ children _ are out there,” she hissed quietly, waving a hand grandly in the general direction of the living room and tugging a discarded robe over her naked form before stooping and tossing his shirt in his face.

“I think you mean  _ our _ children,” he said meaningfully, earning an aggravated glare.

“Yeah, sure. Our children. That isn’t the  _ point _ , Adrien, and you know it,” she growled impatiently, hurrying to her closet to find something suitable to wear. Behind her, she heard Adrien get off the bed and start to pull on his clothes.

“So what is the point, Marinette?” He asked, appearing in the doorway of her walk-in closet, pants in place but chest still bare. She squeaked and tried to cover her half-naked body in vain, earning an amused huff from the blonde male as he leaned casually against the door frame. “We’ve slept together twice now, Marinette. I don’t think my seeing you in your underwear is going to make much of a difference,” he noted dryly. He had a valid point but she wasn’t going to tell him that. Instead, she just scowled, pretending not to notice his bare chest and turned her back on him, yanking a pale pink shirt off a nearby hanger at random and pulling it on, sans bra. 

“The  _ point _ , Adrien, is that just like the first time it was a mistake and it shouldn’t have happened. We were drunk and stupid and apparently forgot how to fucking  _ adult _ and it can’t happen again,” she growled, struggling into a pair of black skinny jeans and pretending not to notice the way the blonde ogled her derriere or how it made her heart flutter. 

“Not how I would describe it, but okay,” the blonde said dryly as the ravenette turned to glare at him. He had, thankfully, donned his shirt by this point. Even though he rarely modeled these days, his chest was still a distraction. An attractive distraction, sure, but still a distraction she didn’t need. Especially at the present moment.

“Well, it's how I  _ would _ , Adrien! You’re engaged. To Chloe Bourgeois, of all people. The last time this happened, I wound up pregnant with twins. You would think two grown ass adults would learn from their past mistakes but apparently not,” she growled, pushing past him to enter the bathroom. Adrien followed, watching as she rummaged through her drawers to find a brush.

“Are you calling Emma and Louis a mistake?” He asked quietly, and her hand immediately stilled as she met his Veridian gaze in the mirror. He had taken up his position leaning against the door frame once more, but the amusement in his face had faded significantly with the question.

“No, never,” she said, shaking her head fiercely as if to banish the very thought. “Emma and Louis are a miracle but that doesn’t mean they weren’t derived  _ from _ a mistake,” she added pragmatically before yanking the brush roughly through the tangled mass of black hair that framed her face. When her hair was somewhat tamed, she piled it atop her head in a messy bun and turned to face Adrien.

“People don’t just make the same mistake twice, Marinette. Maybe this? Us? Maybe we were meant to be,” he reached out to her, frowning when she recoiled but didn’t try to follow her. His spring green gaze was soft, imploring as it met hers.

“If that were the case, Adrien, then you wouldn’t be engaged to Chloe,” she whispered, silently adding to herself,  _ and I wouldn’t be on the verge of moving to another country at your father’s insistence _ . As much as she wanted to say the second part out loud, she didn’t, instead returning to her drawers until she produced a bottle of pills. She grabbed a plastic cup decorated with cartoon superheroes from the edge of the sink and filled it with water. Downing a few pills, she handed the bottle and cup off to Adrien so he could do the same. Brushing past him, she headed for the bedroom door. Adrien followed after taking a few pills for himself. Marinette paused as she reached the door, hand hovering over the doorknob as she shot a startled look over her shoulder.

“What?” Adrien asked, concerned, as he walked up behind her.

“ _ You _ . You can’t be here. The kids… what will the kids think!?” She squawked, panicked bluebell gaze flickering around as she searched for a viable solution.

“Kinda too late for that, Princess. What do you expect me to do? Crawl out the window?” He scoffed. Marinette’s gaze trailed past him to the window and she worried her bottom lip between her teeth as she considered the option.

“I mean…” She began with a hopeful smile.

“No,” Adrien stated flatly.

“But-”

“ _ Marinette _ .”

“...pretty please?” She batted her eyelashes up at him, hands clasping before her in a begging motion, but when his expression didn’t change from the deadpan look on his face she sighed, shoulders drooping. “You’re no fun,” she mumbled dejectedly.

“Time to adult, Mari,” Adrien retorted cheerfully, beaming at her as she scowled at him. Muttering grouchily beneath her breath, Marinette flipped the lock and finally pulled the door open. They found the kids in the living room. Emma stood on the couch, bouncing excitedly as the opening credits of  _ Miraculous! Tales of Ladybeetle and Chatte Noire _ played on the television. Louis sat on the floor a truck in one hand as his eyes remained fixed to the TV. They flicked up as Marinette entered the room and a broad grin stretched across his face. She smiled, quietly relieved that it seemed like today would be a good day for the little boy.

“Mommy!” Louis hopped up eagerly but paused in surprise when Adrien entered the room as well. “Uncle Adrien?”

“Uncle Adrien! What are you doing here?” Emma shrilled, taking a flying leap off the couch before launching herself at the blonde enthusiastically. Adrien caught her up in his arms with a wide grin, affection and adoration shining in his green eyes as he looked down at the dark-haired girl in his arms.

“Hey, pretty girl. How are you?” He greeted warmly.

“I’m good. We’re watching my favorite show,” she announced, pointing at the screen where a boy clad in red and black spotted spandex was running across Paris rooftops with a girl in a black leather catsuit. He quirked a brow but decided not to comment on how odd the show looked before turning to smile at Louis. “Hey, little man. How are you feeling?”

“I’m good, Uncle Adrien. My legs don’t hurt as much today,” the child said in that usual quiet way of his, patting one of the limbs in question before running his toy truck over his lap as if it were a racetrack. Emma squirmed free and bounced over to her mother with a grin.

“Mama? What is Uncle Adrien doing here? Why was he in your room? And why was the door locked? You  _ never _ lock the door,” the child rattled off her questions rapid fire, barely giving her mother a chance to open her mouth before another one was rolling off her tongue. Marinette froze, eyes wide as she scrambled for an appropriate response. She darted a glance at the man in question but he was clearly avoiding her gaze, a small smile tugging at his lips. Smug bastard.

“Oh uh, he was just… that is he is… um… Adrien was cleaning mommy’s pipes!?” She offered and almost immediately facepalmed. Stupid, alcohol-addled brain. Of all the things she could have said, why was  _ that _ what rolled off her tongue? Behind her, Adrien let out a loud guffaw and immediately clapped a hand over his mouth to stifle the noise. She turned to scowl at him, his shoulders shaking with muffled laughter, and wished she had her pillow so she could smack him again. Or maybe this time she would just smother him and get it over with. Alya would probably be down to help her hide a body if she asked.

“Why is Uncle Adrien laughing, mommy?” Emma wanted to know, face scrunched up in confusion and curiosity.

“Because Uncle Adrien is a stupidhead,” Marinette responded seriously, making the blonde man laugh even harder.

“ _ Oooh _ , mommy said a bad word,” Louis said, his bluebell eyes twinkling with childish delight.

“Stupidhead isn’t a bad word, stupidhead,” Emma retorted, sticking her tongue out.

“Excuse me, young lady. Stupidhead is a bad word when it comes out of  _ your _ mouth. Apologize to your brother,” the ravenette scolded, frowning disapprovingly. The dark-haired child gapped at her mother in disbelief.

“But  _ maman _ , that’s not fair!”

“Life ain’t fair, buttercup. Apologize or you’re going in timeout,” she warned. The little girl pouted, crossing her arms defiantly and mumbled under her breath. “Louder, Emilia Rose.”

“ _ Sorry _ , Louis,” she grumbled. Louis barely looked up, apparently unaffected by his sister’s attitude.

“Thank you, Emma. Now why don’t we-” Marinette began, but the little girl cut her off.

“Mommy, why was Uncle Adrien cleaning your pipes? Were the dirty?” She asked, blinking innocently up at her mother. Behind them, Adrien was laughing again while Marinette was sure her face resembled an overripe tomato.

“Okay! Who wants pancakes!?!” She chirped with fake enthusiasm. Luckily, six-year-olds were very easy to distract.

  
  
  


Breakfast was a simple affair for the Dupain-Cheng household, but for Adrien it was everything. He honestly couldn’t remember the last time he had sat down to breakfast with other people, outside of the occasional meeting over breakfast. He had to assume it had been when his mother was around. Adrien’s father had never been a particularly cuddly man and even when Emilie Agreste was around, he was more married to his work than he was to his family. After she had disappeared, Adrien had eaten most of his meals alone with only his father’s assistant, Nathalie, hovering over him as she read off his schedule. To sit down and eat pancakes with Marinette and their children, it was everything he could have hoped for growing up. After the residual embarrassment from her earlier slip-up faded, Adrien found Marinette to have a rare sort of energy he didn’t see often. Especially when interacting with Emma and Louis. She laughed, a lot, and it was an infectious sort of laughter that you couldn’t help but be drawn into.

Adrien had grown up with private chefs. He had a few memories stored away of making Christmas cookies with his mother when he was very young, but he had been so young that she ended up doing most of the work. His only real job had been to lick the spoon clean afterward and he wasn’t even halfway done when his father had walked in and started spouting off facts about salmonella, effectively ruining their fun. Marinette involved the kids in the entire process, and it was fairly obvious from how little direction she had to give them that they had been making pancakes with their mother for quite a while. Marinette helped balance any heavier objects that needed pouring, such as the milk, as Emma carefully measured out the right amount. She watched as Louis cracked the eggs in a separate bowl, but only stepped in to check no eggshells had made it into the bowl before letting him pour it into the main mix.

She gave the kids free reign to get creative, nodding enthusiastically when Emma suggested cinnamon and Louis insisted on chocolate chips. When the kids were satisfied, she stepped in with a quick addition of her own, vanilla extract, before scooping up the bowl and setting it before Adrien. He blinked, dumbfounded, as a whisk was shoved unceremoniously into his hands. He looked up at the ravenette to find her smiling cheekily at him. “You eat in my house, you have to help cook,” she teased.

“I can’t cook,” he admitted nervously. The woman snorted, rolling her eyes in amusement at him.

“Adrien, I don’t even think  _ you _ could mess up mixing batter. Just don’t drop the bowl off the counter,” she advised. When he still looked hesitantly at her, she rolled her eyes and stepped up behind him. Adrien stiffened, cheeks reddening as she settled the bowl in the crook of one of his arms and wrapped her arms around him, guiding the hand holding the whisk to the batter. She demonstrated the whisking motion he should make, correcting his speed when nerves nearly made him spatter batter across the kitchen counter. She only stepped back when she was satisfied he had gotten the hang of it. Turns out, whisking was almost therapeutic. Adrien found he quite enjoyed the repetitive motion and too soon, Marinette was declaring the batter ready and taking the bowl from his hands. Perhaps seeing his crestfallen expression, she smiled and stuck a finger in the batter. With a mischievous smile, the ravenette drew her sticky finger down his cheek, leaving a trail of cold batter in its wake. The kids giggled at the sight, shrieking in delight and fleeing when their mother threatened to do the same thing to them.

“What was  _ that _ for,” the blonde asked, trying and failing to hide the amusement in his voice. She grinned cheekily as she began pouring pancake mix into what looked like a restaurant ketchup bottle.

“Cause it's funny. And you look adorable with batter on your face,” she teased. Adrien blushed and decided to ignore that comment and instead focus on what she was doing. She had finished filling the bottle and was carefully wiping away any excess dribbles on the outside after capping it.

“What are you doing?” He asked, moving closer. Bluebell eyes lifted to meet his and a warm smile graced the woman’s lips.

“Have you ever heard of pancake art?” She asked. He shook his head mutely so she continued. “My mother taught me how to do this. Basically, you make drawings with the batter. Adding batter at different intervals makes it appear as different shades. Some people can get really fancy with it. I try to keep things simple and I only go all out if we don’t have anything going on that day. Emma doesn’t have school today so I figured, why not?” 

“What kinds of things do you draw?” He asked curiously.

“Well, Emma usually likes it when I draw her My Little Pony characters. Louis usually likes cars or Minions characters. I usually do animals or flowers for myself,” she explained, hovering a hand over the griddle to check the heat. When she was satisfied, she picked the squeeze bottle back up and went to work. Adrien watched with rapt attention as she made careful, precise marks with the batter. It wasn’t until she flipped it, however, that he was treated to the full effect. Staring back at them with a bubbly smile on her face was Pinkie Pie from My Little Pony. The mane, tail, eyes, and outline were made to be slightly darker than the body. Adrien was thoroughly impressed.

“That’s amazing, Marinette,” he breathed. She shrugged, but the light blush on her face told him she was pleased by the compliment.

“Some people go all out and actually color the batter,” she admitted.

“I think they look better this way,” he assured as she checked both sides and flipped it effortlessly onto a plate nearby. Marinette apparently had her kids’ appetites down to a science because she made two more My Little Pony pancakes for Emma (Spike and Rarity), before making a car and truck for Louis. She ended up making herself a few panda shaped ones before shooting a sly look at him and starting in on another. His, he presumed given the look she had flashed him. This one was a bit bigger than the rest and more detailed and he had to laugh out loud when she flipped it to reveal a detailed image of Meowth, from Pokemon, grinning back at him. She smirked at his reaction and finished the pancake, carefully sliding it onto a plate and handing it to him before turning off the griddle.

“Emma, Louis, wash your hands,” she called out as she carried two of the plates to the table. Adrien followed her with the other two plates. Before long, the kids bounced into the room to join them. Much like making breakfast, eating it was an animated affair, unlike anything Adrien had seen before. The children chattered animatedly, swallowing when Marinette gently admonished them for talking with their mouths full. There were no harsh reprimands or commands for silence like there were when he was younger. Occasionally, Marinette would correct their table manners but she did it gently and with kind words. Adrien found himself a quiet observer, speaking only when prompted. Most of the meal he spent watching the children and their mother. It was amusing and endearing watching them interact with one another and he found himself secretly wishing this could be an everyday occurrence.

It dawned on him that the biggest difference in the way Marinette was raising their children, and the way his father had raised him, was that the love they shared was openly on display. It wasn’t hidden behind stern words and criticism. It was just there, for everyone to see, and he was damn glad that Emma and Louis had someone like Marinette as a mother. Distracted as he was, Adrien didn’t notice the lull in conversation until a tug on his sleeve pulled him back to the here and now. He dropped his gaze, smiling warmly at Emma as she looked up at him with large green eyes. Those incredible, wheatgrass green eyes that she shared with  _ him _ , her  _ father _ . How on earth hadn’t he noticed the similarities before now? It took him a moment to realize that Emma was speaking and he scrambled to tune back into the conversation.

“-says you know you’re our dad?” She was saying, blinking imploringly up at him. Hesitant, he shot a questioning glance at Marinette. She gave an encouraging nod in response and he couldn’t help but feel a little relieved. They hadn’t yet discussed how they were going to handle this, now that Adrien knew, but they needed to. Obviously, he wanted to be a part of their lives more than anything else. Not just the kids’ lives, but Marinette’s as well.

“That’s right, Emma,” he agreed slowly, turning his gaze back to hers. Emma’s face scrunched up in thought as her green eyes seemed to search his before finally, she gave a decisive nod and smiled almost shyly.

“Can I call you Daddy, then? Instead of Uncle Adrien?” She finally asked. For a moment, Adrien couldn’t speak. He was absolutely floored. He had known the kids liked him, but he honestly hadn’t known what to expect or how they would perceive him as a potential father figure. To have Emma come out and just offer him the role was as stunning as it was touching and he found himself nodding before he found his voice to speak.

“I think I’d like that. I’d like that a lot, Emma,” he said quietly. The six-year-old beamed brightly and bobbed her head happily.

“Okay, daddy,” she chirped, turning her gaze back to the food before her. Adrien watched her for another long moment before slowly shifting his gaze to meet Marinette’s. The ravenette smiled warmly and winked before returning to her breakfast and after another moment’s pause, Adrien did the same.

It was through some unspoken agreement that it was decided Adrien was spending the day in the Dupain-Cheng household. After breakfast, the twins helped in clearing the table before scamping off to play while Marinette did the dishes. Adrien, loitering awkwardly by the kitchen entrance, offered to help and despite several protests on her part that he was the guest and should relax, she eventually gave in. Marinette washed the dishes methodically while Adrien dried them and put them away. They had spent so many nights in her apartment working on their project that by this point he knew where most things went. In this setting, Marinette was always far more relaxed than when he usually saw her, and today was no different. She bumped into him playfully when he was in her way, randomly flashed him silly faces, and generally just made the chore seem  _ fun _ . It was one of the many qualities he liked about her. Marinette seemed capable of taking even the dullest tasks and make them entertaining. When the dishes were done, they retired to the living room to find that Emma and Louis had gotten out their coloring books and crayons. Louis was coloring carefully within the lines, tongue sticking out in concentration. Emma had a more… creative approach, her scribbles mostly aimless but no less endearing. Adrien dropped onto the couch and scooped up the remote before Marinette had the chance. She immediately reached to steal it from him, pouting when he leaned away from her grabby hands.

“It’s my house, I get to pick,” she complained, further leaning over from her side of the couch to make a grab for the remote. With his much longer arms, Adrien was easily able to keep it out of her reach. He grinned as the pout deepened on her face.

“I’m the guest. Doesn’t that mean  _ I _ get the honors?” He teased playfully.

“No, it means you sit there, shut up, and watch whatever  _ I _ want to watch,” she proclaimed teasingly, lunging towards the remote. Somehow, Adrien still managed to keep the remote out of reach even when the woman landed awkwardly on top of him, driving the breath from his lungs in a huff when her elbow found his kidney. The pair froze, eyes locking as they tried to figure out what they were supposed to do next. In the end, Adrien recovered faster and pulled Marinette closer, wrapping his arms securely around her so she couldn’t flee. She shot him a dubious look and he shrugged, his gaze pleading.

“Just for today?” He murmured.

“I’ve heard that before,” she pointed out dryly, sitting up so she was almost straddling his lap. He pouted and she finally relented, leveling a finger at him in mock warning. “ _ Just _ for today, Agreste,” she added.

“Just for today,” he agreed, nodding sagely. 

“Tomorrow we stop all this,” she added. 

“Scouts honor, Princess.”

“Why don’t I believe you were ever a boy scout?” She asked.

“Because I wasn’t,” he replied cheekily. The woman eyed him for another moment

before finally giving up and snuggling back down into his side with a quiet sigh of contentment. Adrien smiled triumphantly at his victory, wrapping his arms around the woman securely and put on a movie at random.

  
  


Four hours later found them in much the same position as the end credits rolled on the second movie. Adrien shifted on the couch, pulling the girl nestled between his legs closer and resting his chin atop her head. Never before had the man felt such utter peace than he did now, in this moment with Marinette curled contentedly in his arms, and with Emma and Louis laying on the floor with their coloring books still spread out before them. It reminded him of when he was little and he would curl up with his mother. Those days were long past, but a part of him yearned to have them back. So many years, wasted. Marinette tipped her head back, concern filling her bluebell eyes as his hold unconsciously tightened around her.

“Are you okay, Adrien?” She murmured, detangling one hand from the folds of his shirt and reaching up to run her fingers through his hair. Marinette, he was beginning to realize, wasn’t just hands on when raising her children. She was hands on in showing anyone she cared about affection. For someone who had grown up in what amounted to little more than a correctional institution, it was a pretty big deal. Adrien smiled affectionately as a wave of warmth flooded him, along with an emotion he was too terrified to identify.

“How could I not be when I have a beautiful woman in my arms?” He quipped playfully. Rather than giggle and flush as she usually did, the raven-haired girl frowned and pushed up slightly so that her face hovered over his.

“Don’t do that, Adrien. Not with me.”

“Do what, Mari?”

“You’re deflecting. You do it whenever something is bothering you,” she pointed out. The blonde man blinked, startled that she had noticed, and shifted away. Marinette made a soft noise as her assumptions were silently confirmed, and moved to get up. Before she could, Adrien caught her around the waist and pulled her back down, panic flaring in his green eyes.

“No! No, Mari, please. Stay. I was just… remembering something I thought I had buried long ago but… being close to you like this, it helps,” he admitted, hating how vulnerable and silly he sounded. Blue eyes softened and a chaste kiss was placed at the corner of his mouth before the girl settled back on his chest, arms wrapping around his waist. Adrien’s face burned and if he looked down, he was sure Marinette was blushing just as fiercely at her actions.

“I’ll let it go for now but… you know you can talk to me about anything, Adrien.” She said gently, pressing another soft kiss to the edge of his jaw. Adrien’s eyes almost started to water. It was so easy for her to show him affection when she had only known him-officially-for a few months. His dad had known him his whole life and couldn’t even be bothered to make an effort to get to know his grandchildren. Not even if only to please his only son. Wanting to move away from the depressive thoughts, he picked up the remote and flipped on the television.

“What do you want to watch now?” He asked against the side of Marinette’s head, loathe to allow his lips to break contact with her skin for even a moment. Before the woman had a chance to respond though, Emma spoke up.

“Miraculous Ladybeetle!” She exclaimed suddenly, green eyes shifting towards the couple on the couch. Adrien and Marinette shared amused looks but nonetheless, Adrien entered the name into the search bar and picked an episode at random. Immediately, the opening theme sounded and suddenly Emma and Louis were sitting up, coloring books abandoned as they stared raptly at the television.

_ The scene opens up to show a view of the Eiffel Tower, before showing a close-up of a boy with blue-black hair and deep blue eyes. A male voice began speaking energetically as the scene shifted. ‘In the daytime, I’m Marin. Just a simple boy, with a simple life’, the voice said as they left the Eiffel Tower and went to a scene set before a school. The boy from before appeared on screen, tripping as a black cat darted across his path. ‘But there’s something about me that no one knows yet…” The boy’s voice continued. The scene depicted a boy with auburn hair helping the black haired boy up before a girl entered the scene. She was absolutely gorgeous, with a thick mane of blonde hair and spring green eyes. She kindly offered the boy his backpack while his auburn haired friend helpfully turned him around to face her. Unfortunately, he was immediately knocked back down by a buff blonde boy who immediately threw his arms around the blonde girl. “Because I have a secret…” The theme song suddenly picked up and a montage of scenes began, from the black-haired boy donning a spotted red and black suit and swinging around with a yo-yo, to a weird woman in a gray bodysuit surrounded by butterflies, to the pretty blonde girl from before joining the dark-haired boy, dressed in a leather catsuit. _

Emma excitedly sang along with the theme song but quieted down as soon as the show started. Despite themselves, Adrien and Marinette found themselves getting sucked into the world of Miraculous Ladybeetle. What they had originally assumed to be a silly kid show turned out to be a French-based anime depicting the lives of two middle-school-aged superheroes. In fact, they were still watching the show a few hours later, long after Emma and Louis had fallen asleep on the floor. The episode they were watching ended and Marinette paused it before the next one could start. Adrien made a disappointed sound as she started to stand up.

“Mari, I was watching that,” he complained, watching her move across the room towards the kitchen. She looked back with an arched brow but didn’t slow as she slipped into the kitchen. Glancing at the children on the floor, Adrien rose and carefully scooped the little girl up. He was tucking her into the top bunk when Marinette joined him, Louis in her arms with his head on her shoulder and his arms locked around her neck. The man watched, affectionately, as the woman carefully detangled herself from the child’s viselike grip before sliding him beneath the covers. Brushing one hand against the boy’s forehead, she gave him a loving kiss before rising and joining him as he backed silently out of the room. Marinette left the door slightly ajar and when he opened his mouth to speak, shook her head and beckoned him to follow. She didn’t speak until they were back in the living room.

“Well, that was easier than expected. Usually getting them to nap can be a bit of a hassle,” she chuckled quietly.

“Maybe you should let them watch Miraculous Ladybeetle more often,” he teased, reaching out to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. Marinette leaned into his touch, and he delighted in how easily she had come to accept his affection, even if only for today. It was much better than when they had first started out and she had jumped like an electrocuted kitten every time he so much as brushed against her.

“I hate to admit it but that show was actually really cute,” she mused, following him as he moved back to the couch. It was then he noticed the tray on the coffee table. On it, a tea kettle, a bowl of sugar cubes, a jar of honey, and a little bowl of cream. Two cups and spoons waited to be filled. She must have grabbed it while he was tucking Emma in. Adrien settled back into the corner of the couch while Marinette poured tea into each cup. He took his with only a dash of cream, while Marinette added sugar and honey to hers. When she turned, teacups in hand, he opened his arms and she immediately folded herself into them, handing him a glass.

“What did you like about it?” He resumed the conversation, genuinely curious. She smiled a bit sheepishly, further intriguing him as to what her answer might be.

“The love square. It’s a unique concept. I- I also liked Marin. He’s a great character,” she smiled thoughtfully, frowning when Adrien snorted in amusement. “What? What’s so funny?” She asked.

“You would make an excellent Ladybug, Marinette. You and Marin could practically be the same person,” he teased, only half kidding. She scoffed and rolled her eyes at him.

“Me? A superhero? What drug are you on and where can I get some of it?” She teased back, earning a playfully scandalized gasp in return.

“Drugs!? Mari, what would your  _ parents _ say!?” He clapped a hand over his heart and threw the other across his forehead, falling back dramatically. He almost spilled his tea in the process and she carefully removed his cup and set both on the table. His overdramatic act elicited a soft giggle from the girl practically straddling him and she prodded him lightly in the stomach, bluebell eyes twinkling with mirth.

“You’re as much a dorkasaurus as Chatte Noire,” she retorted.

“ _ Paw-lease _ , I’m much more  _ Clawsome _ than her,  _ purr-incess _ ,” Adrien shot back immediately. His eyes widened in delight as with a groan, Marinette dropped her face into his chest, shaking her head at him.

“That was awful, Adrien,” she giggled.

“Don’t you mean  _ Pawful _ ?”

“No, stop.”

“You don’t find me Punny?”

“Adrien, I’m warning you…”

“Are they not to your  _ A-mews-ment _ ?”

“I seriously hate you right now,” she sighed, lifting her face to attempt a glare. The twitch at the corner of her mouth as she struggled not to smile kind of ruined the whole effect.

“ _ Meouch,  _ my Lady has claws,” he laughed, grin only widening when she slapped his chest and shook her head.

“That’s it; Mari out. I’m going to find a boyfriend who doesn’t torture me with horrible cat puns,” she said, moving to rise. Once again, Adrien caught her around the waist, halting her departure. This time, however, he didn’t just pull her back to him… he flipped around trapping her beneath him. An impish grin slowly spread across his face.

“Marinette… are you insinuating that I’m your  _ boyfriend _ ?” He asked, and although the gleam in his eye was playful there was an edge of seriousness that didn’t escape either of their notice. The raven-haired girl swallowed hard, dropping her eyes from his piercing gaze. She wanted, more than anything else, to say yes. She  _ wanted _ to put a label on… whatever  _ this _ was. At the same time, she was afraid that if she allowed herself to get any closer, he would inevitably break her heart. She was already in too deep as it was. If she gave him all of herself and he turned his back on her and their kids… It would break her. She was afraid that was something she would be incapable of coming back from and that scared her. Then, of course, there was the fact that Adrien was still very much engaged. She had let herself forget about Chloe, just for a moment, but he hadn’t broken up with her and if what he said was still true, he didn’t plan on doing so anytime soon.

“No. No, that’s not what I’m insinuating, Adrien. It was a joke. Nothing more,” she whispered softly.

“Marinette,” he returned quietly. She shook her head, avoiding his gaze.

“No.  _ No _ , Adrien. This isn’t fair! I know you say I’m your choice but if that were true you would  _ do _ something about it. Why are you with Chloe, anyway? She’s a horrible human being and she obviously doesn’t love you. Not the way I-” she broke off abruptly, stiffening.

“Not the way you  _ what _ , Marinette?” Adrien prodded.

“Nothing. It doesn’t matter. Forget I said anything,” she mumbled. Adrien sighed, dejected.

“I get where you’re coming from and Mari, you have every right to be angry. I’m being selfish. I know I am. It isn’t fair to you, or Chloe. The truth of the matter is, I don’t know why I’m with Chloe anymore. She was my best friend, my  _ only _ friend growing up and when my dad suggested I date her, I didn’t really see a reason to refuse his request. Chloe is a big part of my life and I don’t want to hurt her,” he explained quietly.

“I understand,” the ravenette mumbled, still refusing to meet his gaze.

“No. No, you don’t, Marinette. Because then there’s you. We have two beautiful kids together. You make me laugh like no one else has ever made me laugh before. You’re witty and charming, and stunningly beautiful. You’re honest and kind and you have a smile that just draws people in. That draws  _ me _ in, and it scares me because I want you.  _ All _ of you. Your heart, body, and soul. I  _ want _ to proudly claim you as my girlfriend, more than anything else. You make me  _ want _ to defy my father’s wishes and that’s something I’ve never done before and honestly… it scares the shit out of me, Marinette. I care about you. I do. More than it’s fair for me to let on without sounding incredibly selfish. You have to know that,” He pleaded, and Marinette could feel her resolve begin to crumble at the sincerity in his gaze. Because hell if she didn’t want that too. Much to her horror, she felt the familiar sting of tears spring to her eyes.

“I- I want that too, Adrien. But I can’t give you that. Not unless you break up with Chloe. You know I can't,” she whispered. 

“I know, Marinette. Just today,” he murmured, shifting closer. Her bluebell gaze searched his Veridian one and after a long moment, she gave a short, brief nod.

“Just today,” she confirmed. As the first tear escaped the corner of her eye, Marinette found her mouth being claimed in a dizzying kiss that made her breath catch and her heart leap. For just a moment, she chose not to care about the consequences or the impending heartache that would come. Just for today, she would enjoy this moment, here, with Adrien. She could worry about her problems tomorrow.

  
  
  


It was six pm when Marinette ushered Adrien out of the apartment so that she could meet with Tara. Selfishly, she lingered by the door for a final kiss while the kids played in their bedroom. She was determined that until Adrien and Chloe were no more, it would be their last. As Adrien turned to leave, Marinette suddenly had a stroke of inspiration and called out to him. She had already decided that there was no way she could tell him they were leaving outside a letter. Not without breaking down and telling him why. So she supposed she could give him what little time they had left to get to know his children. “Adrien? Louis is scheduled to have his transplant done in three days and I was wondering if you might want to watch Emma for the day?” She offered with a faint smile. Adrien reeled around, eyes wide in surprise before a broad grin stretched across his face and he nodded enthusiastically.

“I would love nothing more, Marinette,” he said, grinning widely. She returned the grin, amused by his excitement, and nodded.

“Can you pick her up Wednesday morning at eight?” She asked. He nodded eagerly and goodbyes were said before Marinette closed the door. If nothing else, she could give him two months with the kids. It wouldn’t be nearly enough, but it was something. Turning, she hurried off to finish getting herself and the kids ready. Emma and Louis were going up to Alya and Nino’s apartment to play with the kids while she went over to Madame Lacrosse’s apartment to discuss her future at  _ Madame Lacrosse _ Fashion House. Emma and Louis were a bit disappointed that they weren’t going to get to see their Auntie Tara, but were appeased when she assured them they would get to see her soon.

At seven on the dot, Marinette dropped the twins off and waved goodbye to her friend before hurrying towards the building she had worked in for several years. The receptionist greeted her warmly as she passed, heading for the elevator bank, and before long she was being pulled into a bone-crushing embrace by the pink-haired older woman. Tara was unusually subdued despite the back breaking hug. She wasn’t the usual ball of energy that Marinette knew and loved so it shouldn’t have surprised her when, moments after they settled down on the couch to talk, Tara asked, “is someone blackmailing you,  _ ma Cherie _ ?”

“Wh-what makes you say that?” The younger woman stammered uneasily.

“You love Paris, Marinette. You were adamant about staying here. What’s changed?” Tara prompted gently. Marinette stared into her boss’ caramel brown eyes and after a moment’s hesitance, she told her everything. About the one night stand, about finding out she was pregnant, about Gabriel’s constant and unwanted presence. Tara listened, silent for the most part, occasionally adding her thoughts here and there. When she was finished, she made Tara promise she wouldn’t approach Gabriel or Adrien with her new knowledge and she reluctantly agreed. Tara loved Emma and Louis dearly, and she respected their mother’s wishes despite how much she now despised the head of  _ Gabriel _ Fashion House. After that, wine and takeout menus were taken out and Tara thoroughly distracted Marinette from her problems by telling her all the things she would see and experience in America. It was a welcome distraction.

  
  
  


Adrien sighed as he headed up the front steps of the Agreste manor. Already, he felt the absence of Marinette and their children deeply. He wondered, silently, what it would be like to come home to her instead of Chloe. He imagined it would be a much warmer and happier occasion than this. Stepping inside, he found the Agreste Mansion to be just as silent and foreboding as it always was. Plagg materialized, seemingly out of nowhere, to wind around his legs and he smiled gently at the cat. At least Plagg was a constant warm present in the otherwise cold and unfriendly mansion. With the cat winding between his legs, Adrien mounted the steps and headed for his bedroom. He assumed he was the only one home, given the silence, but when he opened the door he found Chloe waiting for him on the couch. He stiffened, briefly, before forcing himself to enter the room and shut the door behind him.

“Chloe,” he greeted quietly.

“Adrien,” she returned, rising and turning to face him. Her face was carefully schooled into a mask of indifference as she studied him across the room. “Where were you?”

“With Marinette and the kids,” he admitted after a long moment. She didn’t seem surprised. Not in the least.

“You didn’t come home last night,” she pointed out. He nodded, ashamed, and dropped his eyes. “Did you sleep with her?”

“Y-yes, Chloe,” he admitted quietly. He didn’t want to lie to her. It wasn’t right and he was already being unfair to her by entertaining thoughts of a future with Marinette.

“I think I’ll sleep in the other room,” she said stiffly, stalking around the couch and sweeping past him. The sound of the door slamming behind him had him flinching and he sank down onto the bed with a sigh.

“What am I going to do, Plagg?” He murmured quietly, burying his face in his hands. Plagg had no answer, instead leaping onto the bed and rubbing against his owner with a comforting purr. Adrien lifted his head slightly and smiled at the little feline. “Thanks, Plagg. I needed that.”


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is unedited because I honestly couldn't be bothered with Grammarly right now. Fair warning lol

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Bursts through the fiery gates of hell*
> 
> Guess who's back, bitches! No, but please don't hate me. I promise I'm not abandoning this, I just majorly burnt myself out and started a new job and have a gazillion other stories going at the moment WHICH YOU SHOULD GO READ. Especially 'In The Hall of Broken Mirrors' because it is EPIC and I LOVE it and I WROTE it and #ShamelessSelfAdvertising
> 
> Seriously though, post partial reveal, the world knows, MariChat feels, a major plot twist planned for upcoming chapters, AND a Chloe Redemption Arc? Something this fic will never have because SCREW Chloe lol Cerially Guys, go read it

It was just past noon when Chloe awoke the next day. The blonde sat up with a yawn, blinking blearily around the room, and for a moment she was confused. The pristine white walls around her were unfamiliar and it took a second for her to recall the events of last night. Adrien had cheated on her. She pursed her lips, considering how she felt about that fact. Mostly, she was annoyed. She was especially annoyed given who Adrien had cheated on her with. Of all the people, he had to choose her childhood arch nemesis, Marinette Dupain-Cheng? She wasn’t even that pretty! Growling in annoyance, the blonde slipped from the bed and headed for the ensuite bathroom that was attached to the room. Pretty much all the bedrooms in the Agreste Mansion had one. She flipped on the shower, the steady fall of water a welcome sound after the overbearing silence that always seemed to hang over this place. That was one thing Chloe still struggled with getting used to, living here. In the hotel, she had her own suite but she could often hear people out in the hall, or outside when her windows or balcony door were left open. This place was almost always as silent as a tomb. How Adrien had grown up here was beyond her, to be completely honest.

The blonde ran her fingers through her hair, deftly removing the few snags and tangles they caught on. She always slept with her hair down, as her usual ponytail was too uncomfortable to sleep with. Adrien used to tell her he liked it when her hair was down, and she idly wondered where that Adrien had gone. Her Adrien wouldn’t have cheated on her. Had he really strayed so far? Stepping under the scalding spray, the blonde let the hot water work through the kinks and knots in her back, and let her stress momentarily fade away. She would give Gabriel Agreste one thing… he never ran out of hot water and Chloe had taken full advantage of that fact, with several very long showers in the past. She found the water, hot enough to turn her fair skin a rosy shade of pink, was a great stress reliever. Eventually, she got out of the shower and wrapped a large fluffy towel around her body. She hadn’t taken any clothes with her the night before, so Chloe headed for the door and slipped out of the room clad only in her towel.

It didn’t matter that much, however. The hall was as empty as it was silent and she made the journey back to her and Adrien’s room without running into another person. Pushing open the bedroom door, she stepped inside and found the room just as devoid of life, save for the black cat lounging languidly in the center of the bed. Plagg opened one green eye, watching her warily. The blonde wrinkled her nose at the cat, especially the fact that he was dirtying the sheets with his cat fur and dander, but opted not to cause a fuss for the time being. She had bigger things to deal with, like what she was going to do about Adrien’s infidelity. Crossing the room, she stepped into the large walk-in closet and chose a bright yellow blouse and black skinny jeans. She got dressed in the bathroom, finding her hairbrush, hair bands, and make-up right where she had left them. After tying her hair back and putting on her face for the day, Chloe found herself on the couch, brow furrowed as she tried to decide the best course of action.

Naturally, Adrien had to pay for cheating on her. She also wanted Marinette to pay though. She wasn’t an innocent party in this. She knew that Adrien belonged to Chloe and she had slept with him anyway. That was unforgivable. She glanced towards the door thoughtfully, wondering if perhaps Mr. Agreste might have an idea of what to do. He seemed to hate Marinette, perhaps even more than Chloe did, so it was a good start at least. Rising, the blonde left the room once more, not noticing the black cat slinking silently after her. Chloe took the stairs down to the first landing and back up to the right wing of the house, to the familiar office of Gabriel Agreste. She knocked briefly on the door and waited. When no answer came, she knocked again. Still nothing. Frowning, the blonde decided to take a risk and twisted the knob, pushing open the door as she stepped inside. The office was empty. Chloe padded further into the room, a disappointed frown gracing her face. Who knew when Gabriel would be back? For all she knew, he could have left on a business trip. The man was always coming and going, without so much as a warning to the people living under his roof with him.

Dropping dejectedly into the man’s chair, Chloe tried to decide on a new course of action when she noticed a pair of folders laying on the desk. Picking one up, she flipped it open and blinked in surprise at the familiar name emblazoned on the birth certificate. Emilia Rose Dupain-Cheng was Marinette and Adrien’s daughter. Flipping through the papers in the file, she was surprised to find detailed documents of the child’s milestones, her kindergarten and first grade photos, candid images obviously taken in secret when neither the mother nor the child were aware they were being photographed. She hummed thoughtfully as she flipped to the next document and immediately her interest was peaked as she came across the child’s complete medical history. She skimmed through the vaccination list, the notes made on regular check-ups, and the document detailing a fractured wrist when the child was two and apparently thought she could fly… until she came across the girl’s list of allergies.

Downstairs, the front door slammed and Chloe jolted as if she had been shocked. Rapidly, the blonde returned the papers to the folder and slipped out of the chair and the room, shutting the door behind her. The click of heels and the sound of voices floated up the stairs and she quickly hurried in the opposite direction, towards the back staircase used by maids and other staff. She failed to notice the black cat loitering in the hallway, watching her rapidly retreating form with narrowed green eyes, or the way he looked back at the closed office door thoughtfully before turning and padding down the stairs, ignoring Nathalie and Gabriel as he passed them and made his way back to the bedroom and the bed that awaited him.

  
  
  


Marinette was rifling through the sparkly pink  _ My Little Pony _ backpack for perhaps the sixth time when her phone bleeped, alerting her to a new text message. It was Wednesday, and Marinette had barely slept the night before. She was too nervous about Louis’ procedure. If she were being honest, she was also rather nervous about leaving Emma with Adrien. She trusted Adrien, of course. He obviously adored the kids and she had a feeling that, if left alone with either child, he would treat them like royalty. That wasn’t the problem. The problem was that Marinette had never had to share parenting of the twins with anyone else before. It was different when Marinette left Emma and Louis with Alya and Nino, or with her parents, or even with Tara because at the end of the day, they weren’t the twins parents. Marinette was and now, she had to share that with Adrien. Which was fine… it was just a bit disconcerting. 

Emma, of course, was ecstatic to be spending a whole day with her daddy. She had been referring to him as such since receiving permission from the man himself and at this point was fairly bouncing off the walls with excitement while Louis waited patiently on the couch. Zipping up the backpack, Marinette scooped up her phone to check the text message. As she had expected, it was from Adrien announcing he was waiting downstairs with the car. Taking that as her cue, Marinette called the children and headed for the front door, sliding her feet into a pair of slip-ons as she did so. After one last check that she had everything (i.e. her purse, backpack, phone, the kids), Marinette locked the door behind them and they were on their way. They met Alya and Nino in the apartment lobby. Their kids had spent the night with one of Alya’s sisters, who was going to watch them all day as well so that Alya and Nino could be there with Marinette at the hospital. Alya immediately slung an arm over her friend’s shoulder with a reassuring grin, perhaps guessing at the nerves filling the young woman.

“It’s going to be alright, Mare. Louis is going to be fine and Emma is going to have the time of her life,” she assured her confidently. Marinette gave her a tiny smile as she allowed her friend to guide her to the lobby doors.

“Thanks, Alys. I needed to hear that,” she murmured. The pair stepped outside, followed closely by Nino and the kids, to find Adrien waiting beside two identical cars. He smiled and lifted a hand in greeting as soon as they exited the building.

“Daddy!” Emma called out excitedly, pushing past the adults to launch herself at her father with a wild grin. Emma had been deadset on dressing up for her daddy daughter date, so she was wearing a pretty salmon pink slip dress, strappy white sandals, and a white headband with a salmon pink flower on her head. Her hair was down, pushed off her face by the headband, and fell down her back in adorable midnight curls. Marinette was perhaps a little biased but she thought Emma looked as pretty as a princess. Adrien beamed as he caught sight of the girl hurtling toward him and easily scooped her into his arms.

“Emma, don’t you look pretty today,” Adrien greeted the child warmly.

“I dressed up just for today, daddy. Where are we going?” Emma chirped, wrapping her arms around his neck.

“That’s a secret,” he responded with a conspiratorial wink before turning to address the others. “Hey, guys.”

“Hey, yourself. You got us a car?” Alya responded first, gesturing to the second car with an incredulous, and slightly impressed, smile.

“I figured Louie probably shouldn’t walk all the way to the hospital. The driver is yours for the day so he can take you there and back home,” Adrien explained, shooting a furtive glance at Marinette. The ravenette blushed prettily at the gesture and smiled in appreciation.

“That was sweet of you,” she murmured, ignoring the intense look Alya was giving the two of them. Clearing her throat, she offered him the backpack, which he immediately took from her hands. “I just put some coloring books, crayons, and a few toys in there.”

“Oh, this will be great if we need to head back to the house before you’re done,” Adrien said with a grin, slinging the bag over one shoulder. Marinette nodded and opened up her purse to rifle around inside.

“I know you have Alya, Nino, and my numbers but here’s my parents’ number and her pediatrician’s number… just in case. And I’ve compiled a list of her allergies… and here’s an Epipen, just in case. Emma has one in her purse and she knows how to use it but just in case,” she added, well aware that she was now rambling. She couldn’t help it though. She was nervous. Adrien blinked, startled, and looked at the items being thrust into his hands.

“Marinette, we’ll be okay,” he assured with a confident grin.

“Are you sure? Do you know how to use an Epipen? Maybe I should just take Emma with me and we could just-” She fell silent when Alya clapped a hand over her mouth, shooting her friend a disgruntled look.

“Mare, Emma and Adrien will be fine. He has your number, he now knows her allergies, they’ll be okay,” she assured gently. “Deep breaths. In. Out. You can let Emma out of your sight for one day without anything bad happening.”

“Y-you’re right, I’m being paranoid,” Marinette said with a high pitched, nervous giggle. Adrien gave her a look he hoped was reassuring enough.

“We’ll be fine, Mari. I promise, nothing will happen to Emma while she’s with me. You can trust me,” he insisted earnestly. The ravenette nodded slowly and finally blew out a gusty breath she hadn’t realized she was holding.

“You’re right. I’m sorry, I’m being silly,” she said, shaking her head at herself. The blonde shot her a grin and shrugged.

“Not silly. You’re just being a mother,” he assured. She shot him a grateful look and he turned to focus on Louis. “You hang in there, okay little man?”

“I will… dad,” Louis said after a moment, smiling shyly at the older man while slipping his hand into his mother’s. If Adrien’s eyes looked a bit damp around the edges at the moniker the child had graced him with, nobody deigned to mention it. Emma waved goodbye as Adrien helped her into the back of the car and slid in after her. Those who remained on the sidewalk watched until the car had disappeared around the corner before finally piling into the second  car and heading for the hospital. It wasn’t necessarily a long drive, even with morning traffic, and they managed to arrive a good twenty minutes before their appointment. Louis sat in one of the armchairs that sat along the walls of the lobby, flanked by Alya and Nino, while Marinette signed them in. From the sounds of it, Gabriel Agreste had yet to make an appearance but the young mother wasn’t worried. Not yet, at least.

Finished with signing in, Marinette took the seat Nino vacated, while he moved to sit at Alya’s other side, and the four lapsed into a pensive silence as they waited. They didn’t have to wait very long. Gabriel arrived just as Louis was being called back for pre screening. The man in question came striding into the hospital waiting room as if he owned the place, a haughty expression on his face, and casually informed them he would be accompanying Marinette and Louis to the pre screening. Surprisingly, Nathalie was not with the man. Marinette could count on one hand the number of times she had actually seen the controlling man without his ever-present assistant. She couldn’t help but shoot him a withering look as she took Louis’s hand, helping the child to his feet and leading him after the nurse who had come to fetch them. She was hyper aware of the stoic man following closely behind.

Gabriel wasn’t in a talkative mood that day and for that, she was grateful. He stood off to the side, hands clasped behind a ramrod straight back, and simply observed as Louis’s height and weight were taken down, followed by his blood pressure and his temperature. Gabe’s face remained a mask of indifference throughout it all, only cracking briefly when they slipped an IV into the child’s arm and drew a vial of the child’s blood before taping it off for later. Apparently, he was mildly impressed by the way Louis handled himself, barely flinching as the oversized needle slid into his vein. They got a brief reprieve when Gabriel was taken to a second room to check his vitals and receive a full physical. Eventually, the nurse returned with Gabriel in tow, sporting a similar IV in his arm, and they were lead to a room to wait. It would be a few hours before they were actually brought into surgery. Nino and Alya were already there, waiting for them.

“I have work to do. I expect you can keep the child quiet while I do so?” Gabriel asked formally, breaking his silence for the first time that morning to give them a withering look. Marinette felt her lip curl in the beginning of an annoyed snarl, while both Alya and Nino looked personally affronted, but it was, surprisingly, Louis who responded.

“I can entertain myself,” he murmured quietly, his navy gaze flitting up to meet Gabriel’s lighter blue one. The man seemed momentarily shocked to find the child, his grandchild, addressing him, especially given how the child had refused to speak during their previous meeting. Marinette seemed surprised too, but she recovered quickly and smiled at her son with pride in her gaze.

“An excellent point, Louie. But I actually bought you a late birthday present that might make the time pass a little faster,” she said perching on the edge of the bed while Gabe retreated to the far corner of the room and pulled out a laptop, sketchbook, and a cellphone. Louis perked up immediately, curiosity in his blue eyes.

“What is it, Mama?” He asked, watching as she dug into her purse and produced a rectangular device. His gaze immediately lit up excitedly. “A 3DS? Really!?”

“Yup. It’s got all your favorite games downloaded on it, too. Emma will get hers when she gets home,” Marinette said, powering on the device and handing it to the child. Louis began flipping through the selection of games that showed up on the homescreen and Marinette retreated to a chair at the side of the room with her two friends and pulled out her own sketchbook. There was nothing to do now but wait.

  
  
  


Adrien stepped out of the vehicle, waving off his driver when he moved to exit the vehicle as well. He was fairly certain he could manage to open the door for his six year old daughter.  _ Daughter. _ The word had a very nice ring to it and Adrien found his lips curling up into a happy smile as he moved swiftly  around the car to open the door for the raven-haired child. Tugging open the car door, the blonde man offered a hand to the little girl and smiled as she hopped easily to the ground. During the entire twenty minute car ride, Emma had kept up a constant stream of chatter. She talked about her mother and brother, her friends at school, her hobbies, how much she wanted a kitten… basically anything her mind could come up with. There was no rhyme or rhythm, no obvious order to her thoughts, but he found it incredibly endearing. It was the type of thing that Chloe would find to be obnoxious and a part of him sank at that thought, because being around Emma and Louis solidified the knowledge that he wanted more kids.

“Where are we?” Emma asked, wide-eyed as she stared across the perfectly manicured lawn and up at the building before them. Adrien shut the car door before turning towards the building as well.

“Welcome to  _ Palais de Princesse _ ,  _ ma petit princesse _ ,” he responded proudly, sweeping into a gallant bow and offering the little girl the crook of his arm. The look of delight that immediately lit up her face as she hooked her elbow with his was totally worth the expense.  _ Palais de Princesse _ was an adorable, two-story Victorian Style house painted white with dark gray shutters on the windows. Three steps led up to a grand, wrap around porch, where large windows showed off a small sitting room and the foyer. Hanging pots lined the porch railing, overflowing with pink and yellow and white flowers. A white wicker porch swing sat to the right of the dark gray door, and the name of the cafe was emblazoned on a little wooden sign that hung over the entrance in a flowing, frilly pink script. Adrien guided his daughter along the stone path and up the porch steps, holding the door open for Emma and sweeping another gallant bow as the little girl entered the building. She stepped inside, still as wide eyed as a fawn. 

Inside, the foyer had hardwood floors that stretched out to a grand staircase that led to the second level of the house. A little chain was fastened from wall to banister at the base of the staircase, announcing the upper level of the house to be off limits. Adrien guided Emma to a doorway on the left side of the foyer, where hardwood floors fell away to plush cream carpet and they found themselves in a little sitting room. The walls were bi-colored, striped in pink, green, and cream along the bottom with solid pink on top. Victorian Furniture, silver with cream colored cushions, sat around the room and a little wooden podium sat at the far side of the room before another door. The room was empty, save for a woman in a flowing blue ball gown. Her brown hair was in a bun atop her head, similar to how Cinderella wore her hair, and she wore a little tiara around the bun. She smiled as they entered and stepped from behind the podium, meeting them halfway across the room and dropping into a deep curtsy.

“Welcome to  _ Palais de Princesse _ . I am Princess Stephanie. Is it just the two of you today?” She asked with a warm smile. Adrien nodded, returning her smile with one of his own.

“Yes. We have a reservation in the Royal Court under the name  _ Agreste _ ,” he said.

“Of course, Monsieur Agreste. If you would just follow me,” she said kindly, beckoning the pair as she headed back to the Podium. She rummaged briefly behind her station, producing an adult and kids menu and a little packet of crayons, before leading them through the door and into the main dining room. Here, the carpet was the same plush cream, although the walls were a darker pink than in the sitting room. A massive chandelier hung from the ceiling, shining light over the room’s occupants. Cream and silver victorian style furniture sat around glass top tables that dotted the room, while waitstaff in sweeping ball gowns and princely uniforms milled around the room. The hostess, Princess Stephanie, bypassed all of this and headed to a set of double french doors on the far side of the room. The doors led outside, and they walked down the back porch and along a stone pathway that wound through the back gardens which were filled to the brim with flowers despite the season.

Eventually, they came upon a little Gazebo that looked like something straight out of a fairytale. A white carpet, littered with rose petals, led up the steps to the wooden floor of the gazebo. Roses hung from the roof in soft creams, various shades of pink, reds and yellows. Fairy Lights were strung up from the roof, wrapped around the columns and the railings, and a smaller chandelier hung from the ceiling above a table set for two. The table had a white table cloth over it, with a vase filled with red roses at the center. Two victorian style chairs sat before the table, and at each place a goblet of water and a set of perfectly polished silverware. Soft, classical piano music was coming from some unseen speaker, setting the perfect mood. It was an unseasonably warm day, which is why Adrien though that dining outside might be the perfect setting. It also had the added bonus of being secluded and private, away from the prying eyes of the other diners. He might not model much anymore, but he was still a well-known face around Paris and he didn’t want anyone interrupting this time with his daughter.

“Here we are, Monsieur and Mademoiselle. Your waitress, Princess Clara, will be out shortly,” Princess Stephanie said politely, setting the menus and Emma’s crayons before their respective seats before dipping into one last curtsy and returning to the main building. Adrien pulled out Emma’s chair for her and helped her up to the table before taking his own seat and giving her a small, slightly nervous smile.

“What do you think of this place, Emma? Do you like it?” He asked hopefully. Electric green eyes met his own and a wide, toothy grin spread across the child’s face as she bobbed her head fiercely.

“It’s so cool, daddy!” She exclaimed, bouncing in her seat. He smiled, quietly relieved, and picked up his menu. Emma mirrored his movement, and the two fell silent as they perused the menu. Lunch turned out to be a lot less nerve-wracking than Adrien originally expected. Conversation flowed easily and the young man found himself learning everything there was to know about the child he now had the pleasure of calling his daughter. Despite her youth, Emma turned out to be an articulate conversationalist, touching on a broad number of subjects that he found ridiculously fascinating. 

The two ordered, Adrien getting a t-bone steak and mashed potatoes while Emma chose a much simpler meal of chicken strips and macaroni. They conversed all through lunch and it thrilled Adrien to bits watching the little girl soak up the attention lavished upon her by their waitress. Looking at her across the table, she was beaming and chattering animatedly while coloring in the menu in front of her and he felt his heart ache and swell with the growing emotions inside of him. He had missed so much in these last six years, but Emma didn’t hold it against him. She accepted him wholeheartedly, without expectation, and it was something he had yearned for since he was a child. His father was the exact opposite. He loved Adrien, of course, but that love came with rules and regulations that he had to follow to a tee less he disappoint his father, the family name, and the company.

When lunch ended, Adrien paid and guided Emma out of the restaurant and back into the sleek black car, where they were immediately driven to a carnival on the other side of town. The look on the child’s face when he helped her out of the car was priceless, and he was sure to snap a quick, candid photo of her before gesturing grandly to the field before them, which housed rides and game booths and food trucks galore. Cheeks flushed pink with excitement, green eyes wide and sparkling, Emma bounced and squealed.

“What do you want to do first?” Adrien asked, sending a sly smile towards the child. Emma, ever a child after her father’s own heart, promptly announced she wanted to do  _ everything _ … and off the two went to enjoy their daddy/daughter day to the fullest.

  
  
  


Emma was positively exhausted by the time they left the fair, head lolling and eyes drooping. She struggled to stay awake during the car ride, but it was a losing battle and she soon dropped off to sleep. The evening was still early, the sun just beginning to sink below the horizon, and according to the texts sent from Marinette, they were just starting to prep for the surgery. She had offered to have Nino and Alya pick Emma up, but the blonde man was quick to decline and assured the worried mother that he would return the sleepy child as soon as they returned from the hospital, regardless of the hour. A series of pictures taken throughout the day had certainly done well to appease her fears and after a few more reassurances that  _ yes _ , Emma was fine and  _ yes _ , he was making sure she was eating enough and  _ yes _ , she was having the absolute time of her life… she had signed off to return to Louie’s side.

Adrien had intended on carrying Emma inside when they reached the mansion, but she woke as he began to unhook her seatbelt and insisted upon her ability to walk into the house herself. If she was confused as to why they were at his place and not the apartment she shared with her mother, she didn’t say as much. She just glanced around with mild curiosity, having been there once before already, before beaming widely at the lone black figure perched about halfway up the main staircase.

“Plagg!” She squealed, dropping her bag and rushing to embrace the cat. Plagg, for his part, didn’t squirm or protest more than an plaintive meow. Adrien was honestly pretty shellshocked. Even he had been on the business end of Plagg’s claws when he got overly affectionate with the feline.

“Careful, Emma,” he cautioned, approaching slowly while watching the cat for any signs of aggression. It would be just his luck to have to explain to Marinette why he was returning their daughter in less than the pristine condition he had received her in. The cat, however, just looked bored and mildly annoyed. His tail tip twitched as the girl held him captive with one arm and pet his head with her free hand.

“It’s okay, daddy. Plagg and I are  _ best _ friends,” the six year old assured confidently, squeezing the cat even tighter. Plagg, apparently done with the affectionate child, pressed his front paws down on her arm and wiggled his body free, before leaping out of her arms. All without leaving a scratch on the child. Adrien stared after him as, with one final lash of his tail, the cat fled in the direction of the bedroom.

“I… I see,” he said, before a smile found its way back onto his face. “Wanna see daddy’s room?”

“Yeah!” Emma squealed, sliding her hand into his when he offered it and skipping up the steps alongside him. They reached the first landing when the sound of a clearing throat gave him pause and he turned to see Nathalie standing atop the stairs leading to the right wing.

“Adrien, I have some paperwork in your father’s office that requires your immediate attention,” the woman said politely, shooting a quick glance at the child still clinging to his hand.

“Oh, um… of course, Nathalie. I’ll be right there,” Adrien sighed, before turning to Emma. Nathalie nodded and disappeared back into the office, while Adrien crouched in front of Emma. “Em, I gotta go do something really quick. Can you go into my room and color until I’m done?”

“Okay, daddy,” Emma said easily, taking the offered backpack. Adrien gave her quick directions to the bedroom before quickly ascending the stairs in the opposite direction to see what Nathalie needed. Emma, in the meantime, followed his directions to the door of his bedroom, which was slightly ajar. She stepped inside, closing the door with a quiet click, and walked further into the room. Her eyes were saucer-like as she toon in the room, because it was as big as a house and more glamorous than anything she had ever seen before. Even in magazines. Emma continued to scan the room as she walked further inside, smiling when she spotted Plagg hiding beneath the edge of the big, white sofa. His green eyes were narrowed to slits and he was staring at something across the room. That’s when the voice spoke.

“What are  _ you _ doing here, little girl?” Emma spun, heart racing, to see a blonde lady emerging from what she assumed was the bathroom. She was wearing a robe around her body, and her blonde hair was wet and tangled. Despite the lack of makeup, Emma still recognized her as the lady from the cafe.

“U-um… I-”

“Oh, you’re Adrien’s brat,” the woman arched a perfect brow over bright blue eyes, a few shades lighter than her mommy’s. Maybe she was a bit biased, but Emma thought her mommy’s eyes were much prettier… and warmer.

“I’m Emma,” she whispered nervously. Something about this woman made her uneasy but… she was her daddy’s friend, right? That made her not quite a stranger.

“Hi, Emma. I’m Chloe,” the woman responded flatly, sitting on the edge of the gigantic bed and staring at her hard. “And I believe I asked you a question,” she added.

“I… um… I’m here with daddy. He had to go help the other lady,” she explained, rubbing the back of her neck uncomfortably. Chloe’s eyes lit up at her words and suddenly her smile and tone of voice was sugary sweet.

“Oh dear, and he left you all alone in this big room?” She asked, patting the spot beside her in invitation. Emma hesitated, but after a moment she moved to join the woman at the edge of the bed.

“W-well, I have Plagg. And my coloring books that mommy packed for me,” she explained, shrugging. “And daddy won’t be that long; he said so.”

“Oh, well do you mind if I keep you company while you wait for your daddy?” Chloe asked with a sweet smile. Emma shook her head and was momentarily dazzled by the grin the blonde lady bestowed upon her, all dimples and perfectly white, perfectly straight teeth. “Excellent. And I’ll bet you’re hungry after such a long day.”

“Maybe a little,” she admitted, warming to the lady a bit more now that she was smiling and being friendly. Emma smiled tentatively back at her.

“I have a brownie; would you like to eat that until your daddy and I can make you something for dinner?” She asked. Now, Emma hesitated. She did like chocolate… and she  _ really _ liked brownies. But she wasn’t supposed to take food without her mommy or another adult checking it first. But then… Chloe was an adult so that counted, right?

“D-does it have nuts in it?” She asked, leaning close and cupping a hand around her mouth as if she were divulging some huge secret. Chloe played along, leaning closer to listen in as the child added, “I’m  _ allergic _ to nuts.”

“Oh, well I made these brownies all by myself and they don’t have any nuts in them,” she assured, getting up and walking over to the couch. Emma followed and waited as the blonde woman picked up her purse and fished around until she found a small brownie wrapped in saran wrap. She unwrapped the brownie and held it out to the child. Emma hesitated a moment longer, but she really  _ was _ starting to get hungry and the brownie  _ did _ look really good. So she accepted it with a quick ‘thank you’ and took a bite. And for a moment, everything was bliss. The way the chocolate simply melted in her mouth, the flavor exploding on her tongue. Absolute heaven. Until her tongue started tingling and her throat started itching and suddenly she couldn’t quite get enough air in her tiny lungs.

Emma dropped the brownie, eyes wide and confused as her hands lifted to clutch at her throat. She tried to speak, to tell Chloe that something was wrong, but her tongue felt thick and heavy and she couldn’t quite remember how to move her mouth in order to speak. Her eyes darted around, searching for her purse desperately, before she recalled she had dropped it in the foyer to hug Plagg. Her knees buckled and tears burned the corners of her eyes and she gasped vainly for breath that simply wouldn’t come. The world was getting dark and fuzzy around the edges and everything hurt and Chloe wasn’t doing anything. Why wasn’t she  _ doing _ anything?

The child felt her body pitch forward the rest of the way, darkness steadily encroaching on her, and distantly she hearn an animalistic screech and saw a streak of black fur as Plagg darted past her and launched himself at the blonde. But then she hurt nothing, saw nothing; only felt herself descend into the fiery clutches of hell and the cooling darkness beyond.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How bout that chapter, huh? Huh!?!?!


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unedited because I have to leave for work in less than five minutes, omg lol but here is the chapter and I can promise the last few chapters won't be long in coming! The next chapter is gonna be a doozy and while I am taking a bit of a break from writing ML fanfiction to focus on writing something original, I will be keeping up with this one at least. I still have big plans for this series and I can't thank you enough for your continued support!

Adrien repressed a sigh as he watched Emma disappear down the hall. It was anyone’s guess how much paperwork Nathalie had awaiting him, but he certainly planned on getting through it as swiftly as possible. The sooner he got through the paperwork, the sooner he could spend the rest of the afternoon getting to know his amazing daughter. He wondered if she liked video games. Adrien was still a fan of the Ultimate Mecha Strike franchise, had been since they first came out when he was a kid, and if Emma hadn’t played the games before, then it would be his honor to introduce her to them. Maybe, once Louis was feeling better, he could ask Marinette if he could take the kids out once or twice a week. He wanted nothing more than to bond with both of them, assuming their mother was receptive, of course. Somehow, he figured she finally would be.

  
With a fresh smile on his face, the blonde man mounted the steps to the right wing of the mansion, taking them two at a time and striding quickly towards the door that housed his father’s office. For once the door was wide open, and Adrien decided to forgo knocking and instead stepped over the threshold, nodding a quick greeting to Nathalie. The woman was sitting behind his father’s big oak desk, glasses perched on the end of her nose as she rifled through a bunch of papers. Luckily, the stack wasn’t too terribly big and Adrien swiftly took the seat across the desk from her.  
“So, what exactly am I signing?” He asked conversationally since the stoic brunette woman had yet to acknowledge his presence. Blue eyes flicked up to meet his green ones, and with a final tap of the papers to get them into a neat, organized pile, she slid them over to him.

  
“Your father wishes you to take a bigger role in the company; he believes it’s time you learn how things are run so that, in the event he should die prematurely, you will be ready to assume the role you were intended for,” she explained without preamble. Adrien’s eyebrows arched and concern flickered in his eyes.

  
“Is my father sick?” He asked, worry coursing through him, but his fears were quickly put to rest when the brunette shook her head. Her blue eyes softened slightly at his obvious concern, despite the rocky relationship the senior and junior Agreste men shared.

  
“No, Adrien. But your father is aging and he simply wants to ensure you are well equipped to take over his legacy. The first part of that is marrying Mademoiselle Bourgeois so that you might eventually produce an Agreste heir. The second part is making sure you know how to properly manage Gabriel Fashion,” she explained. Adrien frowned slightly, trying not to show how much the thought of conceiving a child with Chloe was beginning to make him feel rather ill.

  
“What about Emma and Louis? They are my children, after all,” he pointed out with an arched brow. Nathalie paused in the act of rifling through more papers and slowly looked up at him over the rims of her wire-framed glasses.

  
“Emma and Louis?” She asked hesitantly. Adrien frowned.

  
“Yes, Nathalie. My children… whom I had with Marinette?” He reminded her, watching as a distinctly uncomfortable look crossed the woman’s face.

  
“Your father… he doesn’t want to risk the scandal that comes from you having two children out of wedlock, Adrien,” she explained cautiously. The blonde’s eyes immediately narrowed.

“Whether father likes it or not, Emma and Louis are my children,” he pointed out firmly. Nathalie quickly nodded her agreement.

“And I’m not discrediting that. However, your father is an influential man and the Gabriel Brand _must_ remain untarnished. You understand, don’t you, Adrien?” She looked hopeful, but the man couldn’t in good conscious lie and say that yes, he understood. Then again, perhaps in a way, he did. His father had never been much of a family man, and Adrien had always kind of wondered if his father might consider him a bit expendable. That didn’t make it okay, however.

“We will be talking about this with father, Nathalie. Emma and Louis are my children, and if asked, I refuse to deny our relation to _anyone_ ,” he said firmly. The older woman sighed but nodded her assent. Gabriel wouldn’t be happy, but perhaps the fact that Marinette would be moving to America soon would put a stop to Adrien’s intentions. It would be hard to lay claim to children if you didn’t know how to find them.

“I understand. I will arrange a moment for you and your father to sit down and discuss the children,” she agreed after a moment. The blonde nodded, temporarily appeased, and began to shuffle through the stack of paperwork she had slid over to him. It was mostly pretty straightforward stuff, detailing what his new duties would be in what would essentially be a CEO-in-training position. Adrien selected a fancy looking fountain pen from a cup on the desk that probably cost a small fortune and was about to set about signing and initialling his life away, when a scream rent the air and jolted him and Nathalie from their seats.

For a brief moment, neither moved as they shared alarmed glances from across the desk, before green eyes widened in fearful alarm and the blonde bolted from the room. Although the scream had unmistakably been Chloe’s, his main thought was of Emma as he took the stairs in a single bound before racing up the other side and bursting through his bedroom door, Nathalie on his heels. The sight before him gave him another moment’s pause. The first thing he saw was Chloe, struggling vainly to fight off a whirlwind of black fur and gleaming claws. Never in all the time Adrien had owned him had Plagg ever acted out aggressively, but in that moment the cat looked like a demon sent from hell as he bit and clawed at the shrieking blonde woman.

Adrien took a step in her direction, when a gasp drew his attention down and back towards the couch, and then all thoughts of helping Chloe fled. Because children should not be red and puffy and looking like they were about to pass out and that was exactly what Emma looked like. Adrien dropped down by her side, hands fluttering uselessly. Distantly, he was aware she must be having some sort of allergic reaction but in the heat of the moment and with panic running high, he wasn’t quite sure what to do. Luckily, Nathalie was right behind him and she was a bit more composed than the frantic father.

“Adrien, did Marinette give you an EpiPen?” She demanded, shaking him roughly when he failed to respond the first time. “Adrien, _focus_ . The EpiPen… _where’s the damn EpiPen_!?” Nathalie demanded, finally jarring the man from his panic hazed thoughts. He shook his head as if to clear away the fog that had befallen him and fumbled to pull the little device from his pocket. Nathalie didn’t even give him a chance to figure out how the damned thing worked, instead uncapping it and plunging the needle forcefully into the child’s thigh. Emma flinched violently, but then, the sweetest of sounds as she drew a ragged, but full, breath of air into her lungs.

The child wheezed, tears making glistening tracks down her red, shiny face, and Adrien could only drag her into a tight embrace as Nathalie placed a call to the medics and ordered them to send an ambulance right away. With the father and daughter clinging to one another, it was then left to the woman to save the still shrieking blonde from the cat’s claws. It wasn’t easy, either. The black cat seemed pretty intent on sinking his claws clear down to the bone as he clung to the blonde’s face, hissing and spitting like he was possessed. When Nathalie did remove him, however, he didn’t turn on her or try to return to his attack. He squirmed free and hopped down, moving over to sniff and meow pitifully at Adrien and Emma. Nathalie watched the cat, rather bemused as to what had set him off. Sure, Plagg disliked Chloe about as much as everyone else in the Agreste Household, but he had never been aggressive towards her. What had changed today?

“Are you okay, Miss Bourgeois?” She asked formally, finally dragging her gaze back to the frazzled blonde who had collapsed on the edge of the bed. Chloe had probably never looked worse than she did in that moment. Her clothes were torn and frayed from being clawed numerous time, and Plagg had in no way been messing around. The scratches and bite marks adorning her face, chest, hands and arms were deep and dripping blood. It honestly looked like she had gone through a garbage disposal… or a wood chipper. Her blonde hair was a frizzy, unkempt mess, sticking every which way and tinted red and pink in some places where blood had seeped into the usually silky strands.

She looked dazed, and Nathalie tried her damndest to channel Emilie Agreste; Adrien’s mother had always been a kind, maternal figure. Nathalie never had been, and knew she had probably been a terrible replacement in the mothering department for Adrien growing up, but she tried to be gentle and understanding as she crouched and laid a comforting hand on the blonde woman’s knee. “Chloe? Chloe, I need you to tell me what happened here,” she asked, trying to soften her normally businesslike tone to one she had heard Madame Agreste use often with a much younger Adrien. She wasn’t sure how well she pulled it off; Nathalie Sancoeur had never been a maternal person and sweet and cuddly had never been her strong suits. But the dazed look on Chloe’s face seemed to lift enough for her to focus on the older woman.

“Na-nathalie?” She stammered, reaching up slowly to touch her face with one hand. She flinched violently as her fingers probed at one particularly nasty cut beneath her left eye, the slender digits coming away red and sticky with blood. She pulled her hand back and blinked, before her eyes swung around wildly, trying to locate her assailant. “Wh-where is he!? Where is that mangy beast? I want him out of here!” She shrieked, dropping her hand and scowling at the animal in question. Plagg’s head swiveled as if he knew she spoke of him, and his hackles raised as a truly ferocious growl rose from the tiny creature. Nathalie honestly expected him to relaunch his attack, but he simply pressed closer to the shaken child while keeping his narrowed, acid green glare locked on the battered blonde woman.

Nathalie wanted to continue questioning the blonde, but there was a knock on the door and she was forced to excuse herself to let the medical personnel into the mansion. A couple of men came in with a stretcher between them and she immediately directed them to the room while explaining that the child had an allergic reaction, though it was unclear at the moment what the reaction had been too. She would have to check Gabriel’s files in secret, away from the prying eyes of his son, to see what might have caused such a severe reaction. The paramedics thanked her for the information she had been able to provide and within moments, the Agreste Mansion was once again as silent as a tomb. Adrien, Emma, and Chloe had all been loaded into an ambulance to be taken to the hospital, Emma and Adrien to get her proper treatment for her reaction and Chloe to be treated for her wounds.  
Nathalie had chosen to stay behind and clean up, and as she shut the door to the mansion she let out an exhausted sigh. She needed a vacation, now more than ever. If she didn’t take one soon, she was likely to die prematurely from a stress-induced heart attack or something. Shaking her head slowly, the brunette shrugged away from the thick double doors and straightened her blouse and glasses before heading towards the stairs. She would have to call in the housekeepers to deep clean Adrien’s room and remove any traces of Chloe’s blood, and check the files Gabriel kept on Emma and Louis so that she could perhaps call in and inform the paramedics what Emma had a reaction to. She was about to mount the steps up to her employer’s office when Plagg appeared at the top of the steps and she sighed.

Right. She would also likely have to figure out what to do with the cat. Adrien wouldn’t be happy about it, but no way would Gabriel allow an aggressive animal to continue residing in the home. The older woman tried to think back and recall if the cat was up-to-date on his vaccines. Particularly his rabies vaccine. Could the cat have rabies? He wasn’t showing any signs, aside from the uncharacteristic aggression, but he had _only_ been aggressive towards Chloe. He hadn’t even turned on her when she had pried him off the blonde. It was peculiar, and something about this just didn’t sit right with the woman. Sighing, she gave the feline a tired frown.

“You shouldn’t have done what you did,” she finally informed the cat. Mentally, she chastised herself because here she was, having a one sided conversation with a _cat_. Nathalie was not the kind of crazy pet owner to hold fake conversations with her animals. Hell, Nathalie had never owned anything other than a goldfish, and it had died three days after she brought it home from the pet shop. That had been the unceremonious end of her pet owning days.

“It was a really bad and really stupid decision on your part, you know… Mr. Agreste is going to make me take you to the pound now,” she informed the cat, silently lamenting the fact that she wouldn’t need that vacation after all because she had officially lost her shit anyway. The cat simply blinked at her and flicked his tail and irrationally, anger swelled up within the normally composed woman.

“I don’t like Chloe either, but you can’t just go and maul her, you stupid cat! Adrien is going to have to say goodbye to you, and hasn’t he already lost enough in his life without adding his stupid cat to the list!?” She shouted accusingly. Plagg stood up, fluffy tail lashing, and meowed loudly. She glared at him, adjusting her glasses, and tried to rein in her anger but she felt about ready to explode. The cat lashed his tail again, ears flattening, and meowed once more. He turned in a circle, padded up a few steps back towards the room, before returning to the landing and staring intently down at her. He meowed a third time and the woman snorted, adjusting her glasses once more as she rolled her eyes heavensward.

“And I suppose you just expect me to follow you. Is that it?” She asked, half expecting an answer, which was _insane_. The cat just blinked at her expectantly. “I won’t do it. I’m not going to follow some crazy cat,” she warned. Plagg bounded down a few steps, meowed loudly once more, and raced back up the landing. He placed his front paws on the first step leading to the left wing of the house, looked back at her, and meowed. Nathalie sighed, because she was certain she had truly lost it now. She was about to follow a damn cat and all he probably wanted was something to eat.

“Fine. Alright, _fine_ . I’ll follow you _just this once_ but if you’re just asking for wet food I will skin you,” she grumbled ungraciously, but the cat didn’t seem to mind and with another meow he bounded up the steps. Nathalie sighed, once again questioning her sanity, before she followed him. Plagg led her up the stairs and directly to Adrien’s room, squirming through the cracked door and disappearing inside. The woman followed a moment later and paused on the threshold, pushing the door open and staring around the room. With the splattered blood on the bed and carpet, it looked like a crime scene. Plagg meowed impatiently, apparently wanting her to hurry up, so she entered the room and moved to glare down at him.

“Alright, furball. I’m here. What the hell was so important you had to drag me up here?” She asked sarcastically. The cat blinked at her solemnly before rising once more and heading for the couch. Flattening himself to the floor, the black feline squirmed halfway under the couch and for a moment Nathalie was sure he would end up fishing out one of those infuriatingly loud and obnoxious jingle balls Adrien had gotten for the cat to play with. Instead, the cat came out dragging a plastic wrapped square. She blinked, momentarily confused as the cat sat beside his prize and stared at her intently; expectantly. Nathalie looked at the cat, looked at the foreign object, back to the cat, and sighed yet again.

“I am so going crazy,” she mumbled, but she finally crossed to the couch and stooped to pick up the little plastic wrapped square, bringing it up close to her face so that she could thoroughly inspect it. Nathalie’s eyebrows arched as she realized what the object was, and her eyes flickered down to the cat beside her.

“Plagg… did Emma take a bite of this brownie?” She asked, unsure whether she expected an answer or not. The cat who was now watching her intently opened his mouth, and in what seemed like a very deliberate way, meowed softly. She was going to take that as an affirmative.

“Did Chloe give this to Emma?” Another deliberate meow. Nathalie ran her fingers through her bangs abruptly and finally straightened up, shooting the cat a determined look. She nodded her appreciation and turned on her heel, striding back out of the room and towards her bosses office with a single-minded purpose. It was time she gave the security tapes a quick check before reporting her findings to Adrien… and possibly the police.

 

“Marinette? Marinette Dupain-Cheng?”

The young woman in question jolted almost violently at the sound of her name breaking the silence that had previously ensconced the hospital waiting room. It felt like days had passed since she had settled in the uncomfortably firm chair, one of many that filled the large and nearly empty room, but she knew it had only been a little over two hours. Two hours since they had wheeled the unconscious bodies of Gabriel Agreste and her son away to be operated upon. Nino and Alya had tried to keep the antsy woman occupied, but all their attempts to ease her fears had been ignored or otherwise brushed off. She didn’t want their comfort, she wanted her son safe and in her arms once again. Lifting her head from where it had been buried in her hands, the ravenette stood on shaky legs and lifted one hand.

“Th-that’s me,” she called out, wincing as her voice broke. The nurse either didn’t notice or chose not to comment upon it, because she simply smiled and made her way over to the waiting trio. Marinette felt rather than saw her two friends flank her, ever prepared for the worst (or best) possible scenarios. The nurse came to a halt before them and Marinette found herself wringing her hands, an old nervous tic she had thought she’d kicked to the curb.

“How is Louie?” Alya took the initiative to ask, laying a supportive hand on her friend’s shoulder. Marinette remained tense, waiting apprehensively for the news.

“It was a little touch and go for a moment, but Louis is a fighter and he’s going to be just fine. Our most recent scans don’t show any signs of the cancer. As of right now, Louis is in remission,” she explained. Like air rushing from a balloon, Marinette’s breath whooshed out of her and she sagged against her best friend’s shoulder, relief slamming into her like a physical force. Remission. He was in remission. Louie was going to be okay, he was going to get to grow old and live a full life after all, and that thought had happy tears springing to her eyes. Distantly, she was aware of two sets of arms wrapping around her and squeezing tightly, and Alya whooping triumphantly before recalling where they were and quickly apologizing for her exuberance. There were, after all, other families who had not yet received news on the condition of their loved ones. As much as Marinette wanted to celebrate and cheer with them, she couldn’t fully shake her anxiety. Not until she had her arms around her little boy once again.

“Can we see him?” She blurted out, drawing the nurse’s gaze back to her. The woman smiled and nodded.

“Unfortunately I can’t allow you all to go in at once; I don’t want to overwhelm him. But Louis is currently being transferred into his own room and will be waking soon, so I can take Mama back for now,” she offered. Marinette glanced at her two friends, who smiled and nodded encouragingly. It seemed so silly to fear walking back through these halls to see her son. He was okay. He was alive and well and would soon be back to his healthy self. She had no reason to fret and worry anymore. Still, the pit of unease didn’t leave her as she left her friends and followed the nurse up two levels and down several long, twisting hallways until they reached a door marked 509. A little sheet of paper encased in plastic hung by the door, Louis Dupain-Cheng embossed in bold lettering across the top.

“He should be in there, now. I’ll leave you to it. If you need a nurse, press the red call button and one will be with you shortly,” the Nurse said, bowing her head and departing to return to her work. Marinette took a deep, shaky breath and forced herself to lift a hand, grasp the shiny door knob, and push open the door. Her knees nearly buckled and tears flooded her bluebell gaze as she finally crossed the threshold and found her blonde haired, blue eyed little boy beaming at her with a wide, toothy grin.

“Mama!” He greeted, far more enthusiastically than he had said goodbye not too long ago. It took some effort for the young woman to push away from the wall and cross the room to wrap her arms gingerly around her son, but somehow she managed it and embraced the child fiercely (but carefully).

“Louie, how are you feeling, baby?” She asked, fighting back the tears threatening to overwhelm her. The boy grimaced slightly.

“Okay. A little sore,” he admitted. “Am I all better now, Mama?”

“You’re perfect, Louie,” she assured, surreptitiously swiping away her tears. “Totally perfect.”

  
  


Time seemed to stand still for Adrien. The entire ride to the hospital, he felt cold and numb, robotically answering the questions the Paramedics asked him to the best of his ability. Yes, he was the girl’s father. Her name was Emma Dupain-Cheng. She was six years old. No, he didn’t know her whole medical history; no he didn’t know what could have set off her allergies so severely. Chloe was in a different ambulance, so they couldn’t ask her what had happened either. The paramedics assured Adrien that Emma would be okay, but still he couldn’t stop the nerves from cascading through him. Marinette had trusted him with the safety of their little girl while she took care of Louis at the hospital and he hadn’t even managed that simple task. Now, they were on the way to the hospital, all because he thought he could be a responsible parent and watch his daughter for a few hours. What would Marinette think? Would she hate him? Would she blame him for what had happened? She _should_ blame him. He was the one to let Emma out of his sight, sure she would be fine in his bedroom for a few minutes. He wouldn’t be surprised if Marinette banned him from ever seeing the children again.

Before he could entertain that thought, they arrived at the hospital and the paramedics leaped into action. Adrien got out of their way and followed along as they wheeled the child into the emergency entrance. He comforted himself slightly by noting that her color looked a bit better and although she had remained unconscious the entire ride over, her breathing was a bit more even. Eventually, the paramedics stopped him and told him he couldn’t go beyond a certain point while promising to do everything in their power to help her. Wringing his hands, the young father watched until she was wheeled out of sight and then turned away. It hadn’t escaped his notice that this was the same hospital that Marinette had taken Louis too, and as scared as he was to face the mother of his child, he knew he had to. Marinette deserved to know that her daughter was now in the hospital… because of him.

Riding the elevator up to the main floor felt like a death sentence. All Adrien could think of was what if Marinette decided he wasn’t fit to be a father? The one time she had trusted him to watch one of their kids and he had failed epically. He wouldn’t even blame her if she decided he wasn’t allowed to see them anymore. He would cross that bridge when he came to it, however. For now, though, he reached the main floor and headed for the desk. The receptionist was typing away at the keys and it took her a acknowledge his presence at all. “Who are you here to see?” She asked robotically.

“Louis Dupain-Cheng.”

“Relation to the child?”

“I’m his father,” Adrien responded nervously.

“Your name?” She asked.

“Adrien Agreste.” That got her to look up, eyes widening in shock as she took him in. He really hoped hospital confidentiality was really a thing because he did not want the paparazzi finding him here. His father would flip and Emma and Louis didn’t need that kind of publicity.

“Room 509, M. Agreste,” the woman said cautiously, and Adrien could fee her gaze boring into his back as he headed back to the elevator bank. Getting on, he rode up to the appropriate floor and followed the signs and directions provided by the Nurses at the Nurse Station to the room in question. He knocked briefly, and when the familiar voice called out permitting him entrance, he pushed open the door and stepped inside. Louis perked up immediately at the sight of him.

“Dad!” He greeted enthusiastically. Adrien briefly noted with some relief that the child was looking much better than he had when he had come in that morning before turning his gaze to Marinette who looked slightly confused but not too worried.

“Adrien. Did Nino and Alya call you? Is Emma with them?” She asked curiously. Adrien shifted uncomfortably and jerked a thumb towards the door.

“Can I, uh… Can I talk to you outside?” He asked nervously. Now, a bit of worry entered Marinette’s bluebell gaze but she simply pressed a kiss to their son’s head, softly urged him to get some more sleep, and followed him out of the room. Only when the door was shut behind them did she speak.

“What’s wrong, Adrien? Where’s Emma?”

Adrien had to take a fortifying breath before responding in a rush, knowing there was no easy way to break the news to her. “I’m so sorry, Marinette. Emma is in the emergency room.”


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is a real doozy but it was so fun to write! Took about 6.5 hours to write but #WorthIt

_ Beep. Beep. Beep. _ Emma shifted in her sleep, consciousness slowly seeping in as the steady beeping penetrated the haze of unconsciousness she had found herself in. THe childn’t face scrunched up in protest. Sleep was blissful and pain free and she didn’t want to wake up yet. But the beeping wasn’t letting up and the sound seemed to drill and burrow into her brain until she couldn’t help but leap fully awake, sitting up with a ragged gasp and then coughing violently as her lungs filled to their capacity far too rapidly. When her coughing had died down, Emma blinked wide green eyes around the room and frowned. This wasn’t her daddy’s room. That was immediately apparent. But the last thing she remembered was being in her daddy’s room with… Plagg? Yes, Plagg had been there and they had been waiting for her daddy to finish up something or another so they could continue their daddy daughter day.

So how had she gotten here? Emma could easily identify the fact that she was in a hospital room. Had daddy taken her to see Louie? But if that were the case, where  _ was _ Louie and why was  _ she _ in a hospital bed? She wasn’t sick… was she? Emma tried harder to remember what had happened but all she was getting were these vague flashes of images and sensations. A plastic wrapped treat; the desperation for air. Green eyes staring up at her from beneath a white couch; skin that felt too tight and itchy. A glimpse of long blonde hair and bright blue eyes; a tongue that felt hot and swollen. But nothing concrete and when she tried to think harder, her head hurt enough that she almost wanted to cry. Almost. Emma was a big girl, after all, and big girls didn’t cry unless they really, really had too.

Rubbing her head in frustration, Emma sat all the way up and took inventory of her body. Her breathing was even, her skin looked normal and no longer felt tight and itchy and her tongue wasn’t swollen. Aside from a dry mouth and a residual ache in her head, she felt fine. Had she dreamed the whole thing? It was possible, but that still didn’t explain why she was in the hospital. Before she could dwell further, the door swung open and Emma looked up to find her mother entering the room, her eyes downcast as she riffled through the My Little Pony Backpack that Emma had brought over to her Daddy’s house.

“Mama!” Emma chirped, almost immediately wincing as her mother flailed, startled, and nearly threw the bag across the room.

“Emma! You’re awake!” Her mother seemed to forget about the backpack, dropping it in favor of rushing to the child’s bedside. Her hands felt cool against Emma’s heated cheeks and the child leaned into her mother’s touch, relishing the coolness.

“Did I fall asleep, Mama?” She asked, finally opening her eyes to blink up at her mother curiously. Then, as another thought came to her she asked, “Mama, where is Daddy?”

Marinette hesitated, chewing on her lip slightly before sighing. “Daddy… daddy had to go away for a little bit,” she finally said, a slight frown marring her face. Emma wasn’t sure what she meant by that, but she wasn’t sure she liked the way it sounded.

“When will he be back?”

“I’m not sure, sweetie. But that’s not important right now. How do you feel, Emma?” The young mother asked, smoothing the child’s black hair away from her face.

“I’m okay, Mama… but I don’t understand. Why am I here?” She asked nervously.

“You don’t remember?” Her mother looked very concerned at that, but Emma didn’t want to lie so she shook her head no. “Oh sweetie, you had an allergy attack. Your daddy had to bring you here in an ambulance.”

  
  
  
  


Adrien ran a hand roughly down his face at the town car pulled to a halt outside of the mansion. He was physically and mentally exhausted and just wanted this day to be over. Unfortunately, there was still so much left to do. First and foremost though, he had to speak to Nathalie. She had said it was urgent; he wouldn’t have left the hospital otherwise. Not with both Louis and Emma currently stuck in Hospital beds. Thankfully, Nino and Alya had been more than happy to join Louis while Marinette sat with Emma and waited for her to wake up. He was hoping to be back before Emma woke up, but depending on how long whatever this was about took, he somehow doubted he would be there. The driver opened the door, Adrien too lost in thought to realize they had stopped, and the blonde couldn’t even be sure if he thanked the guy before stumbling out of the car and up the steps to the mansion.

The foyer was empty when he entered through the heavy double doors and Adrien sighed before heading for the steps that lead up to hi father’s office. Most likely, that was where Nathalie would be. She often used his father’s office when he wasn’t in residence, since it meant less trips to pick up files and other pertinent items she might need to do whatever it was her job entailed. Even though she had been his father’s assistant since before he was born, he still wasn’t entirely sure what all it was that she did for his father. Mounting the steps, Adrien headed for the office and found the door cracked open. Pushing inside, he found Nathalie at his father’s desk, eyes narrowed behind her glasses as she scrutinized something on the computer screen. Whatever it was, Plagg seemed just as interested. The black cat was sitting on the desk beside the woman in the chair, ears flattened as he glared at the screen. Neither looked up or acknowledged his presence when he entered. It took clearing his throat before either deigned to look his way, wearing near identical looks of irritation. The irritation cleared when they realized who it was.

“Adrien, you’re here,” Nathalie said, straightening up and shooing the cat off the desk. Plagg grumbled but hopped down nonetheless, stalking out the door with a dignified flick of his tail. Adrien watched him go in bemusement before taking the seat across from his father’s assistant.

“I am here, but we need to make this quick, Nathalie. Emma and Louis are in the hospital,” he responded with an impatient frown. He had come because he trusted Nathalie, but being here was making him antsy. He wanted to be with Marinette and Emma and Louis.

“I understand, Adrien. Unfortunately, this might take awhile. There’s something I need you to see on the security footage,” she explained, pressing a few keys on her computer to rewind whatever she and Plagg had been staring at earlier. Adrien had to repress a growl of frustration.

“Security footage? Can’t this wait, Nathalie?”

“I’m afraid it can’t, Adrien. It has to do with how Emma got sick,” the older woman said gravely. That got Adrien’s attention, and he slowly refocused on the woman with narrowed green eyes.

“You don’t think it was an accident,” he said flatly. It was a statement, not a question. Already he could sense where this was going but Nathalie shook her head nonetheless.

“No, Adrien. I’m afraid it wasn’t,” she said, hitting the play button. Adrien already had his suspicions now, but he didn’t want to believe it even as he watched the frame by frame account of the events that had happened in his bedroom. His father had a state of the art security system installed within the house, complete with audio, and so it was very easy to pick up Emma warning Chloe of her allergy, and Chloe giving her the brownie anyway. The brownie that was obviously the cause of her reaction. If he wondered how Chloe had found out about the allergy in the first place, it didn’t cross his mind to ask because at the moment, Adrien just felt numb. He had never been  _ in _ love with Chloe, but he did love her. She had always been there for him, had always supported him growing up. Even when his father had driven him crazy with his overprotective, overbearing tendencies, Chloe had been there. She had been there to pick up the pieces when his mother disappeared, and when his dad had left him with a Nanny for three months when he was thirteen without even a word as to where he was going or when he would be back and now… now she had tried to harm one of his children out of what? Petty jealousy?

“Thank you, Nathalie, for showing me this,” he said robotically, rising shakily from his seat. He felt like he was about to puke, or pass out. Maybe both. Nathalie rose and reached out for him, the worry etched across her face softening her severe features.

“Adrien? Maybe you should sit down for a moment? You look ill,” she said gently. Adrien shook his head and backed away from her touch, suddenly feeling trapped.  He could feel the panic rising within him, like a bubble threatening to burst. It weighed on his chest and squeezed at his windpipe, making his heart stutter and his breath rasp. Distantly, he was aware of Nathalie speaking his name urgently and moving towards him, but he could barely make out what she was saying. It was like she was speaking underwater, and with his vision tunneling, he was only distantly aware of her grabbing his arm. His breathing sounded thin and hollow to his ears, rattling in his chest like reeds caught up in a gust of wind.

Downstairs, the door clicked open and slammed shut. Like a light switch flipping on, Adrien’s vision cleared and the weight suddenly lifted from his chest. The panic attack was suddenly replaced by a murderous rage that must have shown on his face, because Nathalie released him and took a healthy step back, eyeing him as one might eye a rabid dog. “Adrien, you must think rationally before you do something you regret,” she cautioned, but Adrien was barely listening. His father was still in the hospital recovering and Marinette wouldn’t leave Emma; nor would Nino or Alya leave Louis, not after he had asked them to keep the child company. There was only one other person who would be walking through that door; Chloe Bourgeois.

“Nathalie, call the police,” he said, his voice eerily calm despite the murder in his green gaze. Nathalie nodded slowly and moved towards the phone, while Adrien strode past her and out the door to speak to his fiancee. Hopefully, for the last time.

  
  
  
  


Chloe was having a stupendously bad day. First, she had gone shopping in hopes of cheering herself up with a little retail therapy. Unfortunately, in light of Adrien’s infidelity, it had done little to actually cheer her up and in the end she had shoved her packages to the back of her closet to be sorted later. Then, she had tried to take a relaxing bath imbued with Rosewood and Vanilla, hoping the soothing scents would help her growing tension but again… it had done little to ease her annoyance with her fiancee and her longtime nemesis. And then! To make matters worse, she had been debating taking a nap when the dark haired child had barged in. The vile offspring of her beloved but misguided Adrikiins, and that horrible Maritrash. Emma Dupain-Cheng was a disgustingly perfect mix of her parents. She had Marinette’s long, blue-black hair, fair skin, and freckles, and Adrien’s emerald hued eyes. She was everything Adrien wanted in life, Chloe knew that. She had lorded the possibility of children over him during their entire engagement. 

Marinette had simply beaten her to giving him that coveted thing he so desired, and she realized the second she found out that if Adrien knew the truth, she would lose him. It was already happening. That was why she had devised a plan to show Adrien how imperfect Marinette and her children really were. The children were chock full of allergies that could harm them; if Adrien realized that, he would want to try again with  _ her _ and make perfect, allergy free children with perfect blonde hair and perfect green and blue eyes, just like it was meant to be. So she had made a brownie full of processed peanut butter powder, and started carrying it around in case an opportunity to slip the child the treat worked. She hadn’t expected the opportunity to arise so quickly, but sitting in that room with the vile little brat and  _ knowing _ Adrien would be busy for a good long while had spurred her into action. 

What she  _ hadn’t _ accounted for was that damned mangy beast Adrien insisted on keeping around. The cat had done a number on her; she had required at least seventy stitches on her face, hands, and arms and looked like something Frankenstein had put together, but it would be worth it once Adrien realized that only  _ she _ could give him the perfect little demons he wanted so badly he would stoop to sleeping with utter trash to get it. Not even once, but  _ twice _ . And if Adrien didn’t realize she was the perfect solution to his child issue? Well, then he was dumber than she had originally thought. But that was okay because Chloe wasn’t marrying him for his intelligence; she was marrying him for his good looks, his money, and how he could effectively elevate her status. With the Agreste last name, she would eventually become mayor and rule over Paris with an iron fist. It would be glorious and then no one, not even Marinette Dupain-Cheng, would be able to stop her from doing whatever she damn well pleased.

All she had to do now was get rid of that mangy cat who had harmed her glorious face. The car finally pulled to a halt in front of the mansion and Chloe stepped out with a scathing word to the driver about his unimpressive service. She would need to speak to Adrien about hiring them a faster chauffeur and soon. This one was much too slow for her tastes. Striding up the steps, she entered the mansion and slammed the door behind her. She wasn’t entirely surprised to find the cat waiting for her at the top of the first landing. Crossing her arms, the blonde glared at the feline who glared right on back. Then, she smirked.

“You’re on your way out, mangy cat. No way is Adrikiins going to keep a rabid beast like you around,” she sneered. The cat, predictably, said nothing. He was a cat after all and cats cannot talk. Instead, he continued to watch her steadily from narrowed, acid green eyes, fur spiking along his spine. Chloe scowled and reached to a vase to the right of the entrance, but before her fingers could wrap around the projectile, the sound of a door opening upstairs halted her movements. Moments later, Adrien appeared looking far more tired than she had ever seen him. Chloe might have felt bad for him, if he hadn’t cheated on her so recently. With that fresh in her mind, she figured her actions were justified.

“Chloe.”

If Chloe noticed anything strange or different about Adrien’s voice, she chose not to dwell on it. Instead, she crossed her arms and frowned accusingly up at him, allowing a few tears to leak from her sky blue eyes for added effect. “Adrikiins, why is that horrid beast still here!? I don’t feel safe with him in the house after what he did to me and poor Emma,” she whimpered, sniffling and wiping a tear. Adrien paused in descending the stairs, head tilting to the side like a confused puppy.

“What do you mean, what he did to Emma?” He asked slowly. Chloe, of course, had already gotten her story right and was quick to let her lies spill out in the space between them, certain in her ability of selling any lie to the daft man she had been conditioning since they were mere tots.

“Oh, it was horrible, Adrikiins! I was just talking to your delightful daughter, when all of a sudden that horrid creature leaped out and bit her! Poor Emma must have been allergic, because all of a sudden she was swelling up and couldn’t breath! I  _ tried  _ to help, but then that animal turned on  _ me _ ,” she added a few sobs and tear wipes in for good measure.

Adrien looked thoughtful as he descended the rest of the stairs, while Plagg looked completely affronted… if such a look was possible with such a feline face. Reaching the base of the stairs, Adrien came to a stop in front of the blonde woman and blinked down at her speculatively. “So, you’re saying Plagg attacked Emma  _ out of the blue _ and happened to trigger an allergy, and you were attacked while trying to  _ help _ ?” He asked for clarification. Chloe huffed and rolled her eyes dramatically.

“ _ Yes _ , Adrikiins. That’s what I just said, is it not?” She sighed, shaking her head in exasperation. Adrien nodded slowly, seeming to mull over what she had told him before finally meeting her gaze once more.

“Chloe, can I ask you one more question?” He asked.

“Of course, Adrikiins. As long as you promise to remove that terrible animal afterward. I can’t bear to look at him any longer,” she whined. Adrien flashed her a reassuring smile, and there was something in his eyes that didn’t quite sit right with Chloe, something that had alarm bells going off in her head, but she couldn’t pinpoint exactly what it was.

“Don’t worry, Chlo. You won’t be seeing much of Plagg after today. I just need to know… how stupid do you think I am?”

It took a moment for the question to register, and once it did, the alarm bells got about ten times louder. Something in her was screaming  _ abort, abort, abort _ but Chloe was stubborn and overconfident and she pressed on nonetheless. With a sweet, slightly concerned smile she asked, “whatever do you mean, Adrikiins? I don’t think you’re stupid at all.”

“Really, Chloe? Because I know for a fact Emma isn’t allergic to cats; I also know Plagg wouldn’t seriously hurt Emma; he isn’t an aggressive cat,” he said flatly. Chloe scoffed, eyes going cold as she gestured sharply towards her face.

“You call this unaggressive?” She demanded shrilly. Adrien’s face remained impassive.

“The jig is up, Chlo. We have you on surveillance. I know you gave Emma that brownie and I know she told you she was allergic to nuts before you gave it to her,” he snarled. All pretense of friendliness was gone. Adrien’s green eyes were flat and cold and full of malice and Chloe wasn’t sure how to get out of this one.

“Adrikiins,” she began with a nervous smile, but the man shook his head violently and invaded her space. She had never seen him look so livid in all the years she had known him. Adrien was kind, sweet,  _ docile.  _ This man was harsh, cruel, aggressive and he was scaring her.

“Don’t  _ Adrikiins _ me, Chloe. This? Us? We are done. Done with the engagement, done with our friendship, done with our association,” he snapped, glaring at her for another moment before backing off and holding out his hand. “Give me the ring.”

Chloe backed away, hand tightening into a fist around the pretty gemstone adorning her finger. “Adrikiins, you can’t be serious! After all we’ve been through, surely you can see it in your heart to forgive a simple mistake,” Chloe laughed nervously, backing away as the man before her advanced. Suddenly, Chloe knew exactly how it felt when a mouse was stalked by a cat. She felt trapped between a hard place and the jaws of death with no way out.

“This wasn’t a simple mistake, Chloe!” Adrien suddenly exploded, his voice thunderous enough to rattle the windows. “You almost killed my daughter!”

“Why do you care!? That vile little beast should never have existed!” Chloe shrieked back, suddenly pushing back and getting into Adrien’s face. Normally, that worked like a charm. Adrien wasn’t confrontational. If people pushed, he backed off and folded to their will. Now, however, it was like being met with a great sycamore. Adrien wasn’t backing down and she didn’t know how to handle this turn of events.

“Emma and Louis are the  _ best _ thing to ever happen to me and I’ll be damned if you take them, or their mother away from me, Chloe. We’re done. Keep the ring if you want, but you and I? We are through,” Adrien snarled with a note of finality. Chloe stared at him shell shocked, finally realizing that he was serious. She wasn’t coming back from this one; she had well and truly screwed up. Before she could try to weasel her way back into Adrien’s good graces, however, the door slammed open behind them and three police officers strode inside. One of the cops, a woman, approached her with a cool indifference.

“Chloe Bourgeois? You are hereby under arrest for the attempted murder of Emma Dupain-Cheng. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be held against you in the court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford one, one will be appointed to you-”

  
  
  


**One Month Later**

Marinette sighed as she finished packing the last of the boxes, sitting back on her heels and staring forlornly around the near empty apartment. This was the first place that had been hers, truly hers, and she was going to miss it when they left for New York in a few hours. The moving company was already on the way to fetch her things; all that would remain were a couple suitcases that she would bring on the plane with Emma and Louis. Clothing and a few essentials, mostly. To get them by until their stuff arrived. Standing up, she dusted off her hot pink capris and moved towards the kitchen as her phone pinged. She had left it charging on the kitchen counter to avoid accidentally packing it. Not that it would matter much; she would be getting rid of this phone before she got on the plane tonight. She already had a new one set up with a New York Phone number and all the essential contacts she would need.

**Adrien; Can’t wait for Family Night this weekend? Any chance you and I could get together beforehand?**

Marinette reread the text message several times before the screen went dark once more, and she found herself having to will away her tears at the message. Of all the things she was going to miss once they left for New York, she was going to miss Adrien the most. The contract had been clear; Marinette wasn’t allowed to have any contact with Adrien after she left. It was why she was getting rid of her phone and why she had sworn her family and friends to secrecy about where she was going. Adrien couldn’t be allowed to track her down. As much as she had come to love him, and at this point it was a safe bet to say she did love him with every fiber of her being, she loved Emma and Louis more and she couldn’t risk Gabriel getting his hands on her children. Swiping the screen to life, she forced herself to respond to the message, not wanting Adrien to worry. 

Marinette had already decided that she couldn’t tell Adrien that she and the children were leaving. If she did, he would want to know where and why. Knowing him, he would want to go with them. She couldn’t allow that, so instead she had written a note. Nathalie had agreed to deliver the note in secret, three days after her departure. It would ensure Adrien didn’t attempt to stop her from leaving, and most importantly it ensured that she wasn’t tempted to stay. This was for the best and besides, it would mean furthering her career under Tara’s tutelage. She would get to keep her beloved mentor in her life; it was the one bright spot in this whole mess.

**Marinette; I’m pretty busy with a project I’m doing last minute before Tara leaves, but I’ll let you know!**

**Adrien; Lol isn’t Tara leaving today, though? And sounds like a plan. I miss you!**

**Marinette; Yeah, she is. I’m going to fax the sketches to her when I’m done with the project. I miss you too, Adrien.**

If Adrien responded, Marinette didn’t notice. The movers arrived before she could check her phone again, and then she was too busy helping them carry her boxes and furniture down to the truck. It was a lot easier to do without Emma and Louis underfoot. In the last month, the three of them had been spending a lot of their spare time with Adrien, going out to dinner, movies, theme parks, arcades. Basically all the fun stuff Adrien had missed out on. Perhaps it was the guilt of depriving her children a father and Adrien his children once more, but she wanted them to spend as much time together before she inevitably packed them up and left. If anything, the plan had backfired epically because it had also cemented her feelings for the blonde Adonis. Not that her feelings mattered, of course.

Because of all the time they had been spending with Adrien, Marinette didn’t want the kids knowing about the move. She was petrified one of them would let something slip. So the twins had essentially been living over at Alya and Nino’s for the past few days while she got everything packed. The plan was to finish getting everything loaded and sent off, head down to the office to finish breaking her lease and to pay the fee that entailed, and then spring an impromptu trip to the states on the kids. Only once they were safely in New York would she tell the kids that they were going to be living there now. It was for the best. The kids wouldn’t be happy at first, but they would hopefully learn to love New York… eventually. And maybe, once the kids were eighteen and no longer at risk from Gabriel Agreste, she could initiate a meeting between them and their father… assure them that he had nothing to do with the separation. This was all on her, and their bastard of a grandfather.

Yes, Marinette liked to think she had it all figured out. Her plan was, hopefully, foolproof. Now she just had to enact it. Finished loading the van, Marinette thanked the drivers and headed back into the building office. She had already warned management that she was breaking her lease and they were being pretty amicable about it. She was pretty sure they assumed she was running from some sort of domestic abuse situation, given the lowered fee and the sympathetic looks they were constantly shooting her… and in a way she supposed she was. What Gabriel Agreste was doing probably constituted some form of abuse or at least harassment. Either way, she was just going to let them think what they wished, so long as it meant she wasn’t breaking the bank along with her lease. 

Tara, of course, was footing most of the bill for the move. Marinette had protested, even knowing a move like this one would be crazy expensive and that she could never hope to pay all the expenses on her current salary… but Tara had insisted, calling it a Christmas Bonus or something of the sort. Either way, most of the move was thankfully paid for which allowed Marinette to get a few essentials once they were actually in New York. Finishing the paperwork, Marinette handed over the keys to her apartment while suppressing a sigh. She really would miss this place. Not only the apartment, but Paris. It was where she had been born and raised and it was nerve wracking, moving to a new place. Stepping out of the office, she found Alya waiting for her, suitcases on one side of her and Emma and Louis on the other.

“Mama, mama!” Emma flung herself at her mother with an excited squeal. “Auntie Alya says we’re going on a trip to visit Auntie Tara! Is it true? Huh? Is it, is it?”

Marinette chuckled and carefully peeled the child off of her leg, setting her back and crouching so she was eye level with both children. “That’s right Emma, Louie. We’re going away for a little while,” she said gently.

“Is daddy coming with us?” Emma asked hopefully. Marinette hesitated before shaking her head. She didn’t want to give the child false hope.

“No, darling. It’s just gonna be you, me, Louie, and Auntie Tara,” she apologized. Emma deflated slightly before perking up.

“That’s okay, we can bring daddy a souva- souva… what’s the word, mama?”

“A souvenir,” Louis provided, rolling his blue eyes.

“Yeah, that! We can get daddy one of those!” Emma said enthusiastically. As much as she didn’t want to feed the child false hope, Marinette also couldn’t bear to crush her hopes now, so she nodded with a strained smile.

“Sure we can, sweetie,” she agreed. Perhaps sensing she was nearing her breaking point, Alya clapped her hands together suddenly, drawing the children’s attention. It wouldn’t take much to push Marinette over the precipice, and if that happened she wasn’t sure if she would be able to stop crying.

“Alright, kiddos! You have a plane to catch, so let’s go, go, go! Last one to the car is a rotten egg,” she called out. The kids took off with shrieks and giggles, leaving the two women behind to grab the bags. Alya gave her friend a somber look. “Are you sure you’re doing the right thing, Mare? You could tell Adrien the truth.”

“No, Alya. The risk is too great. I can’t lose Emma and Louis. They’re all I have,” she said fiercely. Alya opened her mouth to say something before thinking better of it. She had a feeling Marinette already knew what she wanted to say anyway, if the wave of sadness washing over her features was any indication.  _ They’re all he has too; all three of you are. _

“Well, then… let’s get going, shall we? We still have to beat traffic,” Alya said instead with forced cheerfulness. Marinette shot her a grateful look and took hold of two of the bags, while Alya grabbed the third. They headed outside to find the twins arguing over who had reached the car first. While Alya loaded the bags into the trunk, Marinette helped the twins into the booster seats in back, buckling them in before sliding into the front passenger side. The ride to the airport was silent and far too brief for Marinette’s liking. While the twins played with a nearby water fountain, Alya and Marinette shared a tearful goodbye before it was time for them to separate, Alya back to her life in Paris, and Marinette to her new life in New York with the twins.

Marinette almost expected Adrien to come running through the terminal, shouting at her to wait, to stay, but she knew that wouldn’t happen. Nathalie wouldn’t give the note to Adrien sooner than she had asked; not with the contract in place and not at the risk of her boss finding out the role she had played if Marinette were to stay. No, Marinette knew no one was coming to stop her. Her friends and family understood why she was doing this, and although they didn’t like it, they would support her decision. And Adrien? He wouldn’t understand, but that was for the best. The less he knew, the better off he would be. As much as she hated Gabriel, Marinette didn’t want to risk the only relationship Adrien had with his remaining parent. So when her boarding section was called, Marinette ushered the kids up and into line, refusing to look back. From now on, she would look only further.


	22. Epilogue

In all the time that Nathalie Sancoeur had worked for Gabriel Agreste, she had been asked to do a lot of questionable and at times difficult tasks. She had always brushed them off, justifying them by saying it was simply part of her job. But out of everything she had been asked to do in the past, this, inexplicably was the hardest. It was precisely three days after Marinette had left for New York and Nathalie knew for a fact that Adrien was already antsy over her unusual silence. She also knew that his friends had tried to reassure him by telling him she was fine and had simply gotten a new phone, but Adrien was a smart young man and Nathalie knew it was only a matter of time before he barged over there and found the apartment empty. She needed to get over herself and deliver this blasted letter first.

Still, she hesitated. Nathalie had always had a soft spot for Adrien. She had met his mother in her youth, becoming close friends with the woman before later meeting Gabriel when he was in the earliest stages of creating his brand. She had admitted the man greatly despite his air of coldness. He had a vision and she had wanted nothing more than to bring that vision to life. When Adrien had been born, Nathalie was instantly taken by the cherub faced child who looked so much like his mother. She had watched from the shadows as he grew from sweet baby to mischeivous boy to charming young man… she had watched him grieve the loss of his mother and essentially his father. She could have stepped in, should have stepped in to offer her support in his time of need. Instead, she had remained firmly in the background where Gabriel had led her to believe she belonged.

She regretted it immensely. Although Adrien wasn’t and never would be hers, Nathalie had grown to love him like a son, even if she couldn’t always show it. She knew she had no right, no claim over him. She was his father’s assistant and at one point, a glorified, overpaid nanny. Nothing more, nothing less. But she wanted so much more it hurt. Not as much as it hurt to be the one to deliver this message, however. The thought of playing a part in hurting Adrien further was a devastating blow, but one she completely deserved. She hadn’t stepped in to help Marinette properly when it came to Gabriel… perhaps this was her Karma. Sighing, the woman finally lifted her hand and rapped swiftly on the door. It almost immediately swung open, startling her at the sudden movement before she composed herself once more. Adrien was slower to hide his surprise, but finally settled for a neutral expression that he often adopted around her. That hurt almost as much as the task she was about to carry out.

“Nathalie? What is it? I’m heading out right now,” he said briskly, years of etiquette likely the only thing keeping him from brushing past her and heading down the hall. Nathalie took a deep breath and held the letter out to him.

“This came for you,” she said. Adrien blinked at the envelope in her hands in confusion.

“Who’s it from?” He asked curiously.

“I think you ought to just read it and find out. I have more important things to do,” Nathalie said briskly, all but shoving the letter into his hands. It was almost too easy to fall back into the role of professionalism that she had enacted around him for nearly three decades now. Adrien looked surprised but nodded dumbly in response. Nathalie turned abruptly and left as behind her, the door shut with a hollow bang that seemed to resonate within her very soul. Closing her eyes, she allowed herself a brief moment of grief before getting back to what she did best… working for Gabriel Agreste.

  
  
  


Adrien stared in mild bemusement at the letter in his hands, wondering what that was all about. He was tempted to just toss the letter on the bed and head out; something wasn’t right and he fully planned to go over to Marinette’s and find out for himself if she and the kids were really okay… but something in him urged him to open the letter. Sitting on the edge of the bed, he turned the paper over and over in his hands. There was no signature, no postage or heading… nothing to indicate the letter’s contents. A small dip in the bed drew his gaze to Plagg. Where the cat had come from, Adrien wasn’t sure, but the cat was now sitting beside him with an almost solemn look in his green eyes as he stared at the letter. Sliding his finger under the flap, he found that the letter hadn’t even been sealed and quickly pulled the letter out. Unfolding it, he began to read:

 

_ My Dearest Adrien,  
_ _ By the time you read this letter, the kids and I will already be long gone. Please don’t try to find us. I want to make it absolutely clear that we left town through no fault of your own. I can’t tell you everything, but there are people in Paris who don’t want you to have anything to do with me or the kids. Powerful people. As much as I love you, and I  _ do _ love you, Adrien, with all my heart, I simply can’t risk Emma and Louis. I hope that one day, when it's safe to do so, we can meet again and I hope when that day comes, you can find it within yourself to forgive me. If not, I understand.I hardly deserve your forgiveness. I do want you to know that the kids and I are safe. We’ve landed somewhere that I hope we can make a home for ourselves, and I finally promised Emma and Louis that Kitten I said I’d get them for their birthday! I figured after all they’ve been through in the past month, they deserved it. I think we found one we like; a little Calico kitten. She’s too young to come home just yet, but the kids are so excited. They want to call her Tikki. Cute, huh? Anyway, I do love you, Adrien. And the kids love you too. I truly hope our paths will cross soon.  
  
_ _ Love You Endlessly,  
_ __ Marinette Dupain-Cheng


	23. AUTHOR'S NOTE

**My Dearest Readers,**

**First, I want to thank you for your continued love and support. When I started writing fanfiction a year ago, I honestly wasn't expecting to keep it up for long but your love, dedication, and encouragement got me through some really rough patches and I can't begin to thank you enough. When I started Love You Endlessly, I was severely sleep deprived, had woken up after too little sleep following a crazy long shift on zero sleep as is... and it was just this random thought, this random idea in my head that I decided to roll with. That thought, that idea spiraled out of control and now, almost a full year later, here we are. The end of book one. It was because of your love and support that I decided to give you guys a full sequel which is why I chose to cut the story off when I did. I know a lot of you were hoping for Adrien to find out about Gabriel's involvement in this book, but I promise it will happen in book 2, Love You Eternally, so please stay tuned. That being said, I want to thank you all again for reading. If you haven't already, please subscribe to the series (or to me) so that you will be updated when the first chapter of Love You Eternally is posted.**

**Love You Endlessly,  
Epiclilkitty <3**


	24. Author's Note

**Since this is my longest and most popular story, I decided to post an author's note here to reach the widest range of my current fan base... with the added bonus of this allowing me to bump up my story to gain more readers (#ShamelessSelfAdvertisement). Anyway, I am posting this for a reason. I want to invite my readers to join me (and many other lovers of fanfiction) on my new[Discord](https://discord.gg/t5p3qds) Channel. Discord is a free and easy to use app and website that will allow you to connect with fellow readers, share favorite fanfictions (not only in this fandom but others as well), and give you the ability to talk to me, the author, on a more personal level. I am also currently accepting story requests. Anyway, that's all I had to say and I really hope to see you on my Discord. I would really like to connect with my readers, learn more about you guys to make sure my writing is better keyed towards what you're looking for ;)**

**Stay Pawsome and have a Meowvelous Day!**

**\--Kitty**

**Author's Note:**

> Originally I was planning on doing a detailed account of their sex scene for this chapter, but I decided to cut it short instead. If you guys are interested, let me know and perhaps I will do a detailed sex scene as a flashback later in the story? For now, I hope you like this. Feedback is always encouraged and I will try to have a second Chapter up early next week if not earlier.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Snapshots](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15987608) by [Omeganian](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Omeganian/pseuds/Omeganian)




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